Fluoridation of water supply

An image of drinking water in a glass.

The Director-General of Health has issued a directive for us to add fluoride to our water supply in the Bream Bay and Whangārei water supply areas.

Ministry of Health funding has helped with the costs of making this change.

Four of the five water treatment plants covered by the directive have been dosing fluoride since March 2025.

The fifth water treatment plant, located in Poroti, was delayed due to a proposed upgrade and was therefore directed to dose with fluoride by 30 June 2026.

Delays to the Poroti water treatment plant upgrade mean we will miss this deadline, so we are requesting an extension of the directive until 30 November 2028.

Council has also investigated the installation of a fluoride-free tap.

Two fluoride-free tap locations are being considered, one at Maungatapere and another at Maungakaramea.

These will be installed subject to approval from the Director-General of Health and engagement with impacted community groups.

Legal challenge

Whangarei District Council has withdrawn from legal proceedings challenging the mandate to fluoridate water.

Our application for interim relief was not successful, and fluoridation started as legally required in March 2025.

How to check your supply

You can check where water is fluoridated in Whangārei District by using our interactive map:

Map of areas for water fluoridation

Council meeting - 26 June 2025

Poroti water treatment plant

On Thursday 26 June 2025, Whangārei District elected members voted to request an extension to the deadline for fluoridation at the Poroti water treatment plant from 30 June 2026 to 30 November 2028.

The directive to fluoridate water at the Poroti water treatment plant had been delayed to 30 June 2026 due to a proposed upgrade.

Delays to the Poroti water treatment plant upgrade mean we will miss this deadline, hence the request for an extension to 30 November 2028.

This came after the Ministry of Health notified council that funding is not available to support the Poroti fluoridation works.

Fluoride free taps

Elected members also approved the installation of two fluoride free taps in non-fluoridated council water supply areas.

These will be installed in Maungatapere and Maungakaramea, subject to approval from the Director-General of Health and engagement with impacted community groups.

Council meeting agenda - 26 June 2025

Council meeting minutes - 26 June 2025

Council meeting - 29 April 2025

At an ordinary meeting of Whangarei District Council on 29 April 2025, the Council resolved to withdraw from legal proceedings.

It noted a decision of the High Court on 21 March 2025 in which the Council's application for interim relief was unsuccessful.

Council meeting agenda - 29 April 2025

Council meeting minutes - 29 April 2025

Council meeting - 11 March 2025

Whangarei District Council met on Tuesday 11 March 2025 to hold a confidential meeting on fluoridation, given that the Director-General of Health's 28 March 2025 deadline for fluoridation of the Whangārei and Bream Bay water supplies was approaching.

At the meeting, Council voted that the matters should be considered in open.

Open meetings must be advertised three working days in advance. As a result, an extraordinary meeting was held at 2:00pm on Monday 17 March 2025.

Extraordinary Council Meeting agenda - 17 March 2025

Extraordinary Council Meeting minutes - 17 March 2025

Council's position on fluoridation - 12 February 2025

At an Extraordinary Council Meeting on Wednesday 12 February 2025, the Council voted to seek a declaration proceeding, which is a hearing where the court would be presented with evidence on the safety or otherwise of fluoride from scientific experts and make a judgement.

Extraordinary Council Meeting agenda - 12 February 2025

Extraordinary Council Meeting minutes - 12 February 2025

Council voted to 'seek urgent interim relief' so that it can delay its preparations for full fluoridation of the public water system by the 28 March 2025 deadline.

Chief Executive Simon Weston said Council also resolved to apply for a judicial review of the Director General of Health's directive to fluoridate the Council water supply.

He directed members of the public to Council's website for more information on fluoride, which has links to the Ministry of Health information on the purpose and safety of fluoride.

Council maintains anti-fluoridation position - 18 December 2024

On Wednesday 18 December 2024, Whangārei District elected members voted to seek an interim injunction staying the Director-General's directive on fluoridation of the water supply until the New Health NZ judicial review against the Director-General has been decided.

The alternate motion was presented at an Extraordinary Council Meeting and follows a decision made on 28 November 2024, where Council resolved to not fluoridate the Whangārei District's water supplies as required by the directive from the Director-General of Health.

The motion instructs the Mayor and Chief Executive to write to the Ministry of Health and request an extension to the date when fluoridation of Whangārei water is to start.

If this is not granted, then an injunction would be sought on the grounds that the potential harm from fluoridation makes it unlawful for the Council to implement it pursuant to section 23 of the Health Act 1956 and that, on the balance of convenience, the risk of harm far outweighs any minimal possible benefit to oral health.

Mayor Vince Cocurullo, who voted in favour of the motion, believes that health education is the pathway to better dental health for our community, and that fluoridating water supplies would not achieve the desired outcomes.

"I believe we need to have a conversation with our communities about what's really causing poor dental health. It's the choices we're making around sugar and unhealthy eating habits, and they start in our homes, within our families.

"We are asking the Director-General of Health to sit down with us to discuss other ways to approach our dental health needs, rather than a blanket directive to fluoridate our water supplies, as Whangārei's water supplies have never been fluoridated.

"We all want to see our communities have healthier outcomes - both within dental health and overall well-being. We believe, in working together with the Ministry of Health, this can be achieved."

"It is likely that this matter could need to be addressed again in February 2025."

Council notice of motion - 28 November 2024

At the full Council meeting held on Thursday 28 November 2024, Council passed the following motion:

That the Council:

  1. Resolves to NOT add fluoride to the Whangārei District's water supplies as required by the directive from the Ministry of Health (MOH);
  2. This decision is based on recent court rulings and research that question the effectiveness, safety and legality of fluoridation;
  3. That the Mayor and the Chief Executive write to the Ministry of Health, the Minister of Health and the coalition Government advising them of this decision.

Whangarei District Council meeting agenda - 28 November 2024

Fluoride survey - March 2024

In March 2024, we carried out a phone survey to get an indication of the community's views on fluoridation.

Results of that survey can be viewed here:

Fluoride Survey results - March 2024(PDF, 156KB)

More information

Get more information about community water fluoridation:

Ministry of Health community water fluoridation key messages and Q&As(PDF, 190KB)