Does Your Tap Water
Contain Fluoride?

Fluoride is present in drinking water throughout Hagerstown, Harrisonburg, Salem, and Roanoke as part of the water treatment process. Water utilities commonly add fluoride to help support dental health and reduce tooth decay. While fluoride levels remain below the EPA’s maximum contaminant level of 4.0 ppm, some homeowners choose additional filtration to reduce fluoride in their drinking water.

Hagerstown’s drinking water contains approximately 0.66 ppm fluoride. The City of Hagerstown adds fluoride during treatment at the R.C. Willson Water Treatment Plant as part of its standard water treatment process. This level falls within the range commonly used by public water systems to support dental health.

Harrisonburg Public Utilities reports fluoride levels of approximately 0.62 ppm in water sourced from the Dry River and North River watersheds. Fluoride is added during treatment before water is distributed throughout the city’s water system.

The City of Salem reports fluoride levels of approximately 0.57 ppm in its drinking water. Salem uses gaseous chlorine for disinfection and also adds fluoride during treatment to help support oral health throughout the community.

The Western Virginia Water Authority adds fluoride at its treatment facilities serving the Roanoke Valley. Recent water quality data shows fluoride levels ranging from approximately 0.60 to 0.72 ppm depending on the source water and treatment facility, including Carvins Cove (0.70 ppm), Crystal Spring (0.60 ppm), Spring Hollow (0.72 ppm), and Muse Spring (0.70 ppm). These levels remain well below federal drinking water standards while supporting community water fluoridation efforts.

Fluoride has been added to public water systems in the United States for decades as a way to help reduce tooth decay. Most systems target a level around 0.7 ppm, which is considered optimal for dental health.

If you’re looking to reduce fluoride in your tap water, there are treatment options specifically designed to address it.

This is a consideration for some homeowners who want more control over what’s in their drinking water, even when levels fall within recommended guidelines.

Effective fluoride removal options include:

Standard carbon filters are typically not designed to remove fluoride, so choosing the right system is important.

At recommended levels, fluoride is widely recognized for helping prevent tooth decay and supporting dental health.

However, higher levels of long-term exposure have been associated with:

While Hagerstown, Harrisonburg, Salem, and Roanoke levels are below limits, some homeowners prefer to reduce fluoride intake as part of their overall water quality strategy.

Even when water meets federal standards, many homeowners choose filtration for added control over their drinking water.

Common reasons include:

Reverse osmosis systems are one of the most common solutions used to reduce fluoride levels at the point of use.