On this page:
- Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021
- Directions to fluoridate issued by the Director-General of Health
- Monitoring
Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021
Some local authorities have been fluoridating the drinking water they supply for a number of years. Approximately half of New Zealanders have access to fluoridated drinking water.
Given its well established benefits for oral health, the Health Act 1956 was amended by the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 to enable a nationally consistent approach to community water fluoridation.
The Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment enables the Director-General of Health to direct local authorities to add – or not to add – fluoride to a drinking water supply. Any local authority that receives a direction to fluoridate one of its drinking water supplies must take all practicable steps to ensure the optimal level of fluoride is present in that supply.
Local authorities may also choose to start fluoridating any drinking water supplies without being directed to by the Director-General. And any local authority that was fluoridating a drinking water supply before the amendments came into effect must continue to do so.
In deciding whether to make a direction to fluoridate, the Director-General is required to consider:
- scientific evidence on the effectiveness of adding fluoride to drinking water in reducing the prevalence and severity of dental decay
- whether the benefits of adding fluoride to drinking water outweigh the costs, taking into account the oral health and size of the community as well as the financial costs including ongoing management and monitoring.
If the Director-General were to issue directions to local authorities to fluoridate all drinking water supplies servicing populations over 500, it would result in over 80 percent of New Zealanders having access to fluoridated drinking water.
For further information on the legislative and legal framework for community water fluoridation, see:
- the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021
- documents related to the development of the Amendment Act
- 2018 Supreme Court judgment – in accordance with the respective views of O’Regan and Ellen France J and William Young J, the Court found that the South Taranaki District Council has legal authority to fluoridate the water supplies in Patea and Waverley and that power is not constrained by s 11 of the Bill of Rights Act.
Directions to fluoridate
The Director-General of Health has issued 14 directions to local authorities to fluoridate community water supplies. This follows a process as described in the Health Act 1956.
The 14 local authorities that have received directions are:
| Local authority | Water supply | Serviced population | Compliance date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawerau District Council | Kawerau | 7,721 | 30 June 2023 |
| Hastings District Council | Hastings Urban | 64,764 | 30 June 2023 |
| Horowhenua District Council | Levin | 22,000 | 30 April 2024 |
| New Plymouth District Council | New Plymouth | 66,562 | Has begun fluoridating (compliance date was 31 July 2023) |
| Waipa District Council | Cambridge | 21,794 | 31 July 2023 |
| Whangarei District Council | Bream Bay | 14,800 | 31 August 2024 |
| Whangarei | 56,530 | 30 June 2026 | |
| Rotorua Lakes Council | Rotorua Central | 44,000 | 30 April 2024 |
| Rotorua East | 13,000 | 30 April 2024 | |
| Nelson City Council | Nelson | 52,400 | 31 December 2024 |
| Far North District Council | Kaitaia | 5,400 | 30 June 2024 |
| Kerikeri | 6,700 | 30 June 2024 | |
| Auckland Council | Onehunga | 25,507 | 30 June 2024 |
| Waiuku | 8,697 | 30 June 2026 | |
| Tararua District Council | Dannevirke | 6,000 | 30 June 2024 |
| Waitaki District Council | Oamaru | 15,561 | 30 June 2024 |
| Tauranga City Council | Tauranga | 153,500 | 31 July 2024 |
| Western Bay of Plenty District Council | Athenree | 5,125 | 31 July 2025 |
| Wharawhara | 5,700 | 31 July 2025 |
Manatū Hauora is supporting local authorities that received a direction in July 2022 with funding for capital works. The compliance dates vary and are based on information provided by local authorities.
For further details, see the information provided to the Director-General to inform decision-making on these drinking water supplies.
A recent High Court judgment found that the Director-General of Health made an error of law by not explicitly considering the rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 in making a decision on each direction. The Judge directed the Director-General of Health to assess whether each of the directions for local authorities is a demonstrably justified limit on the right of persons in those districts to refuse medical treatment. That right is provided for in section 11 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
The Director-General will assess each direction as directed by the Judge. In the meantime, the Court has confirmed that each of those directions remain in place.
You can find more information at Fluoride legal decision update.
Will further directions to fluoridate drinking water be issued?
In November 2022 the Director-General wrote to 27 local authorities to advise that they are being actively considered for a direction to fluoridate in relation to one or more of their drinking water supplies.
These water supplies remain under active consideration, however the Director-General is taking further time. This is to allow consideration of the impact of several wider factors including reform across the water services sector, and service delivery pressures across the local government sector.
| Local authority | Water supply | Serviced population |
|---|---|---|
| Ōpōtiki District Council | Ōpōtiki | 4,530 |
| Far North District Council | Kaikohe | 4,200 |
| Paihia | 4,000 | |
| Kawakawa/Moerewa | 3,500 | |
| Omapere | 900 | |
| Okaihau | 800 | |
| Rawene | 600 | |
| Wairoa District Council | Wairoa | 4,650 |
| Rotorua Lakes District Council | Ngongotaha | 4,826 |
| Hamurana/Kaharoa | 1,700 | |
| Reporoa | 1,060 | |
| Rotoiti | 880 | |
| Mamaku | 868 | |
| Rotoma | 500 | |
| Whakatane District Council | Rangitaiki Plains | 2,897 |
| Otumahi | 2,841 | |
| Murupara | 1,674 | |
| Taneatua | 790 | |
| Matata | 690 | |
| Ruatoki | 560 | |
| Kaipara District Council | Dargaville | 4,683 |
| Maungaturoto | 980 | |
| Taupō District Council | Acacia Bay | 2,381 |
| Omori/Kuratau/Pukawa | 1,883 | |
| Kinloch | 1,696 | |
| Mangakino | 1,312 | |
| Motuoapa | 739 | |
| Ruapehu District Council | Taumarunui | 4,870 |
| Ohakune | 1,500 | |
| Raetihi | 749 | |
| Waitomo District Council | Te Kuiti | 4,612 |
| Piopio | 500 | |
| South Waikato District Council | Putaruru | 4,116 |
| Tirau | 700 | |
| Horowhenua District Council | Foxton | 2,700 |
| Foxton Beach | 1,900 | |
| Shannon | 1,436 | |
| Tokomaru | 550 | |
| Whanganui District Council | Whanganui | 39,775 |
| Rangitikei District Council | Marton | 4,764 |
| Taihape | 1,584 | |
| Bulls | 1,419 | |
| Western Bay of Plenty District Council | Muttons | 8,550 |
| Pongakawa | 4,850 | |
| Ohouere | 2,250 | |
| Youngson Road | 8,480 | |
| Tahawai (linked with Athenree) | 7,240 | |
| Waihi Beach (linked with Athenree) | ||
| Tararua District Council | Pahiatua | 2,700 |
| Woodville | 1,500 | |
| Hauraki District Council | Waihi | 4,927 |
| Paeroa | 4,887 | |
| Kerepehi | 2,552 | |
| Waitakaruru | 2,076 | |
| Hastings District Council | Haumoana / Te Awanga | 1,900 |
| Whirinaki – Hawkes Bay | 800 | |
| Clive | 560 | |
| Waimārama | 500 | |
| Hutt City Council | Petone | 7,491 |
| Korokoro | 1,482 | |
| Napier City Council | Napier | 59,055 |
| Buller District Council | Westport | 4,974 |
| Reefton | 951 | |
| Westland District Council | Hokitika | 3,447 |
| Franz Josef | 2,611 | |
| Kaikoura District Council | Kaikoura | 2,500 |
| Waimate District Council | Waimate | 3,000 |
| Hook/Waituna Rural | 1,350 | |
| Marlborough District Council | Blenheim | 24,028 |
| Picton / Waikawa | 4,185 | |
| Renwick | 1,884 | |
| Awatere | 1,333 | |
| Riverlands Industrial | 740 | |
| Havelock | 618 | |
| Seddon | 535 | |
| Timaru District Council | Timaru City | 26,832 |
| Temuka | 4,620 | |
| Downlands – Te Ana Wai | 4,550 | |
| Geraldine | 2,121 | |
| Te Moana Scheme | 1,650 | |
| Pleasant Point | 1,200 | |
| Seadown | 895 | |
| Downlands-Waitohi | 700 | |
| Dunedin City Council | Waikouaiti | 1,642 |
| Outram | 750 | |
| Queenstown Lakes District Council | Queenstown | 25,271 |
| Wānaka | 13,633 | |
| Arrowtown | 4,366 | |
| Hawea | 3,767 | |
| Lake Hayes | 3,743 | |
| Arthurs Point | 1,631 | |
| Glenorchy | 1,232 | |
| Luggate | 855 |
Monitoring drinking water fluoridation levels in New Zealand
Water treatment plants are monitored regularly to ensure fluoride concentrations do not exceed the maximum acceptable value set out in the Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022 (ie, 1.5 mg per litre). Taumata Arowai – the water services regulator – monitors compliance with the Drinking Water Standards, including for fluoride. Any exceedances must be reported to Taumata Arowai.
The Ministry is developing a monitoring process to ensure fluoride levels across New Zealand remain within the optimum range for oral health benefits (ie, 0.7–1.0 mg per litre).