Fluoridated (2021 state dataset).
Fluoridation was consulted on in 2009 but delayed until a separate pipeline carried unfluoridated water to the local dairy factory.
Health authorities, including the NHMRC, recommend drinking fluoridated tap water to reduce tooth decay. Some residents prefer to reduce their intake, and that's a personal choice.
Law: Health (Fluoridation) Act 1973
Who decides: State government directs water corporations.
Coverage: about 90% of residents (2024). First fluoridated: Bacchus Marsh, 1962.
0.67 mg/L average (2024-25), according to Medical Journal of Australia, 2015. Fluoridated supplies in Australia target 0.6 to 1.1 mg/L, and the health guideline maximum is 1.5 mg/L.
Yes. Fluoride is added to Cobram's water. Fluoridated (2021 state dataset).
State government directs water corporations.
Look up Goulburn Valley Water's annual drinking water quality report, which lists fluoride in mg/L by supply zone. You can also ask the utility for monthly readings.
No. Boiling leaves the fluoride behind and slightly concentrates it. Reverse osmosis, distillation and activated alumina filters remove fluoride. Read more.