EPA Will Expeditiously Review New Science on Fluoride in Drinking Water

At an event in Salt Lake City, Utah, with U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency’s decision to expeditiously review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.   

This renewed scientific evaluation is an essential step that will inform agency decisions on the standard for fluoride under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This action aligns closely with EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment, while working cooperatively with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure all Americans can rely on clean and safe water.   

“Without prejudging any outcomes, when this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation that will inform the agency's future steps to meet statutory obligations under the Safe Drinking Water Act,” said Administrator Lee Zeldin.   

“Secretary Kennedy has long been at the forefront of this issue. His advocacy was instrumental in our decision to review fluoride exposure risks and we are committed to working alongside him, utilizing sound science as we advance our mission of protecting human health and the environment,” said Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The National Toxicology Program released a report in August 2024 concluding with “moderate confidence” that fluoride exposure above 1.5 milligrams per liter is associated with lower IQ in children. The report also concluded that more research is needed to better understand if there are health risks associated with exposure to lower fluoride concentrations.  

EPA is committing to conduct a thorough review of these findings and additional peer reviewed studies to prepare an updated health effects assessment for fluoride that will inform any potential revisions to EPA’s fluoride drinking water standard.   

EPA’s review is being done in coordination with Secretary Kennedy and HHS. The agency’s actions advance the goals of the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, which EPA is an integral member of.  

Background

Fluoride is an element that may be found naturally in sources of drinking water, such as ground water. Fluoride has been added to drinking water by drinking water systems to improve dental health. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA sets standards that limit the amount of potentially harmful substances in drinking water provided by public water systems. The current standard is 4.0 milligrams of fluoride per liter and was last evaluated by the Agency in July 2024, prior to the latest scientific review by the National Toxicology Program that concluded with “moderate confidence” that levels above 1.5 milligrams per liter result in negative outcomes for children.    

Learn more about Children's Health and Healthy School Environments.

Source:  EPA Press Release (4/8/2025)

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