On this page:
- Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021
- Directions to fluoridate issued by the Director-General of Health
Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021
The Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021, which came into effect in December 2021, allows the Director-General of Health to direct local authorities to add – or not to add – fluoride to a drinking-water supply. This enables a nationally consistent approach to community water fluoridation based on its well-established health benefits.
Any local authority that receives a direction to fluoridate one of its drinking-water supplies must take all practicable steps to ensure the specified level of fluoride is present in that supply. Local authorities may also proactively choose to start fluoridating any un-fluoridated drinking water supplies and must continue with any fluoridation of drinking water supplies that existed before the amendment came into effect.
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.
For further information on the legislative and legal framework for community water fluoridation, see:
- the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021
- Cabinet material: Community water fluoridation policy decisions
- Supreme Court judgment confirming that fluoridation of drinking-water does not breach an individual’s right to refuse to undergo medical treatment.
Directions to fluoridate
The Director-General has issued 14 directions to local authorities to fluoridate community water supplies. This follows a process as described in the Health Act 1956.
Local authority | Water supply | Serviced population | Compliance date |
---|---|---|---|
Kawerau District Council | Kawerau | 7,721 | 30-Jun-23 |
Hastings District Council | Hastings Urban | 64,764 | 30-Jun-23 |
Horowhenua District Council | Levin | 22,000 | 30-Apr-24 |
New Plymouth District Council | New Plymouth | 66,562 | 31-Jul-23 |
Waipa District Council | Cambridge | 21,794 | 31-Jul-23 |
Whangarei District Council | Bream Bay | 14,800 | 31-Aug-24 |
Whangarei | 56,530 | 30-Jun-26 | |
Rotorua Lakes Council | Rotorua Central | 44,000 | 30-Apr-24 |
Rotorua East | 13,000 | 30-Apr-24 | |
Nelson City Council | Nelson | 52,400 | 31-Dec-24 |
Far North District Council | Kaitaia | 5,400 | 30-Jun-24 |
Kerikeri | 6,700 | 30-Jun-24 | |
Auckland Council | Onehunga | 25,507 | 30-Jun-24 |
Waiuku | 8,697 | 30-Jun-26 | |
Tararua District Council | Dannevirke | 6,000 | 30-Jun-24 |
Waitaki District Council | Oamaru | 15,561 | 30-Jun-24 |
Tauranga City Council | Tauranga | 153,500 | 31-Jul-24 |
Western Bay of Plenty District Council | Athenree | 5,125 | 31-Jul-25 |
Wharawhara | 5.7 | 31-Jul-25 |
Manatū Hauora has invited those local authorities that received directions in July 2022 to apply for funding for capital works. The compliance dates vary between 6 months and over 3 years, based on information provided by local authorities.
Fluoridating these drinking-water supplies will increase the number of New Zealanders receiving fluoridated drinking-water from 51 percent to around 60 percent.
For further details, see the Director-General of Health decisions to direct local authorities to fluoridate drinking water supplies. Please note some information has been withheld to protect the privacy of individuals, as is consistent with s.9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982.
Will further directions to fluoridate drinking water be issued?
On 3 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.
In November 2022, a further 27 local authorities were advised the Director-General of Health is now considering whether to issue a direction to fluoridate in relation to one or more of their drinking-water supplies.
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 |
Manatū Hauora is mindful of current service delivery pressures across the water services and broader local government sectors. In light of this, if directions to fluoridate are issued to any further local authorities, they will have compliance dates set for after July 2024 when the new water service entities are due to be established as part of the Three Waters Reform.
Should the Director-General decide in due course to issue directions to fluoridate all drinking-water supplies currently under active consideration, this would result in 68 percent of New Zealanders receiving fluoridated drinking-water. If the DG were to issue directions to fluoridate to all local authorities with drinking water supplies servicing populations over 500, it would result in over 80 percent of New Zealanders receiving fluoridated drinking-water.