NEW HANOVER COUNTY —Wednesday, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority released a ‘do not drink’ advisory citing an overabundance of fluoride in the drinking water supplied by the CFPUA Richardson Nano Groundwater Treatment Plant.
New Hanover county residents were also warned that a failure to follow this advisory could result in illness.
While fluoride is safe for dental health at low concentrations, excessive fluoride levels can have negative effects on human health.
According to the National Institutes of Health, acute fluoride toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and discomfort.
What about pets?
According to Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, fluoride levels greater than 460 parts per million (ppm) is toxic for dogs.