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WATER FLUORIDATION IN TENNESSEE EARNS NATIONAL AWARDS

Nashville, September 7, 2007

The Tennessee Department of Health today announced that 120 community water systems across the state have been honored with Water Fluoridation Quality Awards by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Community water fluoridation has been recognized by the CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. 

“I am pleased these Tennessee communities are being recognized for this important public health initiative,” said Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN, Commissioner of Health. “Studies have shown that fluoride helps to prevent tooth decay among all age groups, not just children.”

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in the public water supply to a level that is optimal for preventing tooth decay. The CDC award recognizes communities which have maintained a consistent level of optimally fluoridated water for the calendar year.

“CDC recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective and inexpensive method of preventing tooth decay,” said Suzanne Hayes, DDS, Dental Director for the Tennessee Department of Health. “Since its introduction more than 60 years ago, community water fluoridation has dramatically improved the oral health of millions of Americans.”

In 2001, the U.S. Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended that communities either adopt or maintain fluoridation of public drinking water supplies.  More than 170 million people, or 67 percent of the United States population served by public water supplies, currently drink water with optimal fluoride levels for preventing decay. In Tennessee, 96 percent of the state’s residents have access to optimally fluoridated water.

“Fluoridating a community’s water is one of the most effective public health prevention measures we can take to prevent tooth decay,” stated William R. Maas, DDS, MPH, director of the CDC Division of Oral Health. “It also is the most equitable, reaching all members of a community, regardless of their income.” Maas also noted that fluoridation is cost-effective, saving approximately $38 in dental treatment costs for every dollar invested.

The Tennessee Department of Health supports community water fluoridation as part of its overall Oral Health Services initiatives. For more information, visit the Web site at http://health.state.tn.us/oralhealth/flOverview.html.

CDC WATER FLUORIDATION QUALITY AWARDS FOR TENNESSEE 2006

EAST REGION
(Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union Counties)

  1. Anderson County Utility Board
  2. Clinton Utilities Board
  3. Gatlinburg Water Department
  4. Harriman Utility District
  5. Huntsville Utility District
  6. Jefferson City Water & Sewer
  7. LaFollette Water Department
  8. Lenoir City Utility Board
  9. Loudon Utilities Board
  10. Maryville Water Quality Control Department
  11. Maynardville Water Department
  12. Morristown Water System
  13. Newport Utilities Board
  14. Norris Water Commission
  15. Pigeon Forge Water Department
  16. Plateau Utility District
  17. Rockwood Water System
  18. Sevierville Water System
  19. Sweetwater Utility Board

MID-CUMBERLAND REGION
(Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson and Wilson Counties)

  1. Ashland City Water Department
  2. Clarksville Water Department
  3. Dover Water Department
  4. Erin Water Treatment Plant
  5. Fort Campbell Water System
  6. Franklin Water Department
  7. Gallatin Water Department
  8. Gladeville Utility District # 1
  9. Hartsville Water Department
  10. New Johnsonville Water Department
  11. Portland Water System
  12. Second South Cheatham Utility District
  13. Water Authority of Dickson County
  14. Watertown Water System
  15. Waverly Water Department
  16. West Wilson Utility District
  17. White House Utility District

NORTHEAST REGION
(Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington Counties)

  1. Elizabethton Water Department
  2. Erwin Utilities
  3. Johnson City Water Department
  4. Mountain City Water Department
  5. Rogersville Water System

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
(Bedford, Coffee, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry and Wayne Counties)

  1. Bon Aqua and Lyles Utility District 
  2. Centerville Water System
  3. Chapel Hill Water System
  4. Fayetteville Water System
  5. Hohenwald Water System
  6. Lewisburg Water Department
  7. Linden Water Department
  8. Lobelville Water Department
  9. Lynchburg Water Department
  10. Shelbyville Water System
  11. Wartrace Water System

SOUTHEAST REGION
(Bledsoe, Bradley, Franklin, Grundy, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie Counties)

  1. Athens Utilities Board
  2. Cleveland Utilities
  3. Dayton Water Department
  4. Dunlap Water System 
  5. Englewood Water Department 
  6. Estill Springs Water Department
  7. Etowah Utilities 
  8. Jasper Water Department
  9. Monteagle Public Utility Board
  10. Sewanee Utility District
  11. South Pittsburg Water System
  12. Spring City Water System
  13. Suck Creek Water System
  14. Tracy City Water System
  15. Whitwell Water Department

UPPER CUMBERLAND REGION
(Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren and White Counties)

  1. Gainesboro Water System
  2. Livingston Water Department
  3. Northwest Clay County Utility District
  4. Spencer Water System
  5. West Warren-Viola Utility District

WEST REGION
(Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, McNairy, Obion, Tipton and Weakley Counties)

  1. Adamsville Water System
  2. Bolivar Water System
  3. Bradford Water System
  4. Bruceton Water System
  5. Camden Water Department
  6. Dresden Water Department
  7. Gates Water Department
  8. Gleason Water Department
  9. Greenfield Water Department
  10. Halls Water System
  11. Henderson Water Department
  12. Henry Water System
  13. Humboldt Utilities
  14. Lauderdale County-wide Water System
  15. Lexington Water Systems
  16. Martin Water Department 
  17. Maury City Water Department
  18. McKenzie Water Department
  19. Milan Water Department
  20. Northwest Dyersburg Utility District
  21. Paris Board of Public Utilities
  22. Parsons Water Department
  23. Puryear Water System
  24. Ripley Water System
  25. Selmer Water System
  26. Sharon Water System
  27. Somerville Water System
  28. South Fulton Water System
  29. Tiptonville Water System
  30. Trezevant Water System 
  31. Union City Water Department

50 YEAR AWARDS

  1. Hartsville Water Department – Mid-Cumberland Region
  2. Lebanon Water System – Mid-Cumberland Region
  3. Ripley Water System – West Region

METRO AREAS

DAVIDSON COUNTY

  1. Old Hickory Utility District

HAMILTON COUNTY

  1. Soddy Daisy-Falling Water Utility District  
  2. Eastside Utility District Department
  3. Hixson Utility District 
  4. Savannah Valley Utility
  5. Tennessee American Water
  6. Union Fork-Bakewell Utility District

KNOX COUNTY

  1. First Utility District-Knox County
  2. Hallsdale Powell Utility District
  3. Northeast Knox Utility District

MADISON COUNTY

  1. Jackson Energy Authority

SHELBY COUNTY

  1. Bartlett Water System
  2. Collierville Water Department
  3. Memphis Light, Gas and Water
  4. Millington Water Department
  5. Naval Supply Activity-Midsouth

SULLIVAN COUNTY

  1. Bloomingdale Utility District