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Fluoride in New South Wales water

Every New South Wales town we track, whether fluoride is added, what is changing, and who decides. About 93% of residents (2017).

93%

of residents (2017)

85

tracked towns with fluoride added

48

with none added (4 naturally fluoridated)

26

with a recent, upcoming or ongoing change

The rules

Who decides in New South Wales

Law: Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies Act 1957

Who decides: Councils apply, NSW Health approves. Only the Health Secretary can approve stopping.

First fluoridated: Yass, 1956

What is changing

Recent and upcoming changes in New South Wales

Armidale Recently changedFluoridation reinstated in June 2025 with a new system.Ashford Recently changedNewly fluoridated from May 2025.Baradine Dosing currently offDosing plant offline since January 2017.Batlow Dosing below targetThe 2025 report shows a low average of 0.40 mg/L from two samples.Bermagui Recently changedNewly fluoridated from 3 March 2025.Berridale Dosing currently offDosing paused since 21 November 2024 for maintenance at the East Jindabyne plant, with no resumption notice found.Bowral Dosing currently offDosing 'temporarily paused' in July 2025 and still off in mid 2026, awaiting approval for a new system. Includes Mittagong and Moss Vale.Broken Hill Dosing currently offOfficially fluoridated, but 2026 readings (0.10 to 0.70 mg/L in the March quarter, 0.16 mg/L in the June quarter) are far below the 0.9 to 1.5 mg/L target.Condobolin Recently changedDosing recommenced on 22 May 2025 with a new system, after stopping in March 2024.Coolah Change comingA dosing system was installed but never operated. NSW Health has funded reinstatement.Coonabarabran Dosing currently offNo fluoride since December 2015 because of dosing design faults. NSW Health committed replacement funding in 2024.Dubbo Recently changedFluoride is due back in November 2026: commissioning of new dosing equipment was scheduled for 3 to 10 November 2026, after nearly eight years off (since January 2019).Gilgandra Change comingDosing was discontinued. Council's 2025-26 budget includes $130,000 to bring fluoride back.Gunnedah Recently changedDosing began on 11 March 2024, six years after the council voted for it.Hay Dosing below target2025 monitoring averaged 0.58 mg/L, below the NSW target range of 0.9 to 1.5 mg/L.Jindabyne Dosing currently offDosing paused since 21 November 2024 for plant maintenance, with no resumption notice found. Includes East Jindabyne and Berridale.Lake Cargelligo Dosing currently offStarted July 2020, stopped 12 February 2025 because of operational issues. No restart announced.Macksville Dosing below target2024 monitoring on the Nambucca system averaged 0.56 mg/L, below the NSW target range.Marulan Change comingFluoride will be added once Marulan's new water treatment plant opens. Council endorsed this in January 2026.Molong Recently changedNew fluoridation for Molong, Cumnock and Yeoval was scheduled to start on 30 October 2026, subject to final approvals.Murwillumbah Recently changedDosing restored in August 2026 after a nine-month outage from 25 November 2025.Muswellbrook Recently changedDosing restarted on 2 April 2026 after an upgrade.Nambucca Heads Dosing below target2024 monitoring averaged 0.56 mg/L, below the NSW target range of 0.9 to 1.5 mg/L.Nyngan Change comingOff since October 2015. Bogan Shire expects a new dosing system to start in 2026.Tweed Heads Recently changedDosing restored in August 2026 after a nine-month outage from 25 November 2025.Uralla Change comingOff since February 2024. The system is being replaced, with operator training under way in 2026.
Every town

New South Wales towns by fluoride status

Fluoride added 85

No fluoride added 44

Naturally occurring 4

Reporting

New South Wales fluoride news and guides

Eight years without fluoride in Dubbo: what went wrong, and when it returns

In a state where only the Health Secretary can approve stopping fluoridation, Dubbo's supply went close to eight years without it. The fix is now months behind schedule.

The Byron exception: how one shire stayed fluoride-free while its neighbours were dosed

Lismore and Ballina were directed to fluoridate in 2015. Byron Shire and Nimbin were not. A look at the Northern Rivers' long fight over the tap.

Switched off: the NSW towns where fluoride quietly stopped

Tweed went nine months without it. Bowral has had none since July 2025, Mudgee since 2020, Nyngan since 2015. Broken Hill is dosed on paper but barely registers. No council voted for any of this. Here's the list.

Switched on: the Australian towns that started adding fluoride in 2024-26

While Queensland councils opt out, Western Australia has been quietly expanding. Here's every new fluoridated supply we've found.

Fluoridated on paper: the Australian towns where measured fluoride falls well below target

Brisbane's main treatment plant measured as low as 0.07 mg/L in September. Broken Hill averaged 0.16. Here's what utility data shows about supplies running well below target.