The Ohio Department of Health announced recently that the Southwest Regional Water District has received a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is optimal for preventing tooth decay.

The award recognizes communities that maintained a consistent level of optimally fluoridated water throughout 2011.

“We are pleased that more states and communities than ever have achieved this measure of excellence in their water fluoridation programs,” said Dr. William Bailey, DDS, MPH, acting director of the CDC Division of Oral Health. “Community water fluoridation is one of the most effective means available for avoiding tooth decay, preventing at least 25 percent of tooth decay in children and adults.”

Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. Nearly three-quarters of the people served by community water systems in the US have access to optimally fluoridated tap water.

Of the approximately 10.3 million Ohioans who are served by public water systems, 92 percent have the benefits of fluoridated water. The Ohio Department of Health recommends water fluoridation as an effective and inexpensive method of preventing decay. In fact, every $1 invested in fluoridation saves at least $38 in costs for dental treatment.

“Studies have shown that community water fluoridation can prevent tooth decay in people of all ages,” said Carrie Farquhar, Oral Health Section Administrator of the Ohio Department of Health. “We congratulate all recipients of this award for consistently maintaining optimal fluoride levels in their community water systems.”

The Southwest Regional Water District serves approximately 15,500 households, school and businesses, mostly in the unincorporated areas of Butler County west of the Great Miami River. The District’s employees take great pride in their consistent ability to deliver high-quality drinking water in a cost-effective manner.