On April 12, 2018, the citizens of Edgartown have the right to vote for or against adding fluoride to our water system.

All Edgartown voters were granted this right to vote on fluoride treatment as a result of a successful petition signed by 10 per cent of the registered voters as required by law to stop the automatic order to add fluoride initiated by the Edgartown board of health.

The board had taken the liberty to vote for the automatic fluoridation of our water without notification or consideration of the selectmen, water department or the citizens of Edgartown.

We reached out to the selectmen immediately to discuss the order and how it would affect our water supply, distribution system and those who digest the fluoride.

The board of health held a fluoride forum on March 8, 2018 which included health agent Matt Poole, board of health member Dr. Orazem and a panel of Island professionals in support of adding fluoride to the municipal water system. The panel was asked if they were aware of the active federal lawsuit filed to stop fluoride from being added to any U.S. municipal water supply.

If the lawsuit is successful in stopping fluoride added to municipal water systems, then the $640,000 capital cost to add the fluoride to our water system would be lost money and any remaining fluoride will become hazardous waste. Clearly, the board of health and their panel did not want the citizens of Edgartown to consider this fact.

Fluoride is a drug, a medication. Fluoride treatment (other than toothpaste and mouth rinse) requires a prescription. In the cases of mouth rinse and toothpaste, those products with fluoride content advise it not to be swallowed.

Nobody should have the authority or right to dictate that others have fluoride in their water and it should not be done without the knowledge of, input of and consent of the consumers.

For additional information, please consult the Fluoride Action Network at fluoridealert.org.

As the board of water commissioners, it is our obligation to ensure that the water system and the quality of the water we provide to you is the best it can be. We urge you to consider this vote carefully, recognize the alternatives and most of all, be part of a transparent, community process.

Scott Ellis
Edgartown

The writer is chairman of the Edgartown water commission.