NSW Health has agreed to fluoridate Coonabarabran's water supply.

Residents of the town and other communities in the wider Warrumbungle Shire still have no fluoride in their drinking water because of design faults with the fluoride dosing system that first came to the fore nine years ago. 

Nearby towns Baradine, Coolah, Binnaway, and Mendooran are still trying to get fluoride in their water supplies.

Warrambungle Shire Council had previously been dosing fluoride to the Binnaway, Baradine and Coonabarabran water supply schemes, but this ceased in January 2017, in Binnaway and Baradine in January 2017 and in Coonabarabran in December 2015.

"Dosing of fluoride was ceased due to design issues with the system, in which clogging occurred in a media filter contained within the dosing system and prevented dosing to the water supply from occurring" the Council said.

All water does already contain naturally occurring fluoride. Usually, however, the fluoride level in water is not enough to prevent tooth decay.

Coolah will also see water fluoridation implemented under the arrangement with NSW Health.

 NSW Health strongly supports fluoridation of drinking waters as a safe and effective way to help prevent tooth decay in the community.

A report was presented to Council at the March 2022 Ordinary Meeting in relation to the status of Council’s fluoride dosing system, in which investigation works had been completed into the design and procurement of a new fluoride dosing system for Coolah.

Since the last report to Council, NSW Health have committed to funding the replacement of the fluoride dosing systems in Coolah and Coonabarabran. The funding is provided at 100% of the total cost of the project by NSW Health