City of Ocala stops adding fluoride to water

File photo: City of Ocala’s water plant [Dave Miller]

Editor’s Note: The year fluoride started being added to city water was corrected to reflect 1961. Also, additional context for why it was stopped was added to this article on 5/21/2025.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on May 15 prohibiting local governments from adding fluoride to their community’s drinking water, but the city of Ocala had already ceased adding fluoride to its public water as of April 30 due to malfunctioning equipment.

According to a spokesperson for the city, the additive has been added to the city’s drinking water since 1961’s, and the public should not expect a change in the taste of city water.

The annual cost to the city for the water additive was approximately $50,000.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has hailed fluoridation of water as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century. By adding fluoride to community water sources, it became a foundation for the prevention of dental decay across all social statuses.

The state of Florida follows the state of Utah as the second state to ban the addition of fluoride. The governor maintains that fluoride should be a choice, and a community should not have the medication forced through their water supply.