WATER FLUORIDATION

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Water questions on fluoride dosing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON: I have received a letter from a constituent which states, in part:

About a month ago, my brother-in-law (who works in the water treatment industry) took a sample of his tap water from his house at Woodcroft (straight out of the kitchen tap) and out of curiosity, sent it in to his usual water testing chemist for a fluoride analysis. The results were received today and showed a level of 1.2 parts per million of fluoride in our drinking water. According to a SA government fact sheet on fluoridated water...the level of fluoride in our drinking water should be between 0.7 ppm and 1.0 ppm.

My questions are:

1. How often are fluoride levels tested for our public water supply?

2. How many times in the past three years have levels of fluoride exceeded the recommended level of 0.7 ppm to 1.0 ppm, and was the public alerted to this?

3. What detection mechanisms are in place to prevent the over-release of fluoride into our drinking water?

4. Are there any penalties involved when over-release occurs?

5. When were the monitoring protocols for fluoride dosing last revised?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:42): I thank the honourable member her important questions on fluoridation of tap water. I undertake to take the question to the Minister for Water and the River Murray in another place and seek a response.