196171 Use of California Tobacco Tax to fund Water Fluoridation Projects

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 9:30 AM

Jonathan Fielding, MD, MPH , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Maritza Cabezas, DDS, MPH , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Timothy R. Collins, DDS, MPH , Oral Health Program, Dept. of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Edgar Dymally , Water Quality Section, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Steven Uranga-McKane, DMD, MPH, MBA , The Children's Dental Center of Greater Los Angeles, Inglewood, CA
     
In December 2007, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) initiated water fluoridation at its five treatment plants that supply wholesale water to the Southern California region. This includes the three treatment plants that provide wholesale water to the cities of Los Angeles County (LAC). With very few exceptions, the average city in LAC provides its residents a blend of water from their own municipal sources and the wholesale water provided by MWD. Since the MWD is now providing water fluoridated at the optimum level of 0.8 ppm, it is now only necessary for a city to fluoridate their remaining municipal water supply to achieve optimum water fluoridation for their entire water system. The fluoridation of the MWD was achieved primary because of a $5.5 million grant from the California Endowment. In order to continue the momentum achieved by the California Endowment funding, it was necessary to identify another organization willing to support fluoridation in LAC.

The LAC First 5 Commission receives an average $70 million /year from CA tobacco tax money to make investments in various projects to benefit the 0-5 population in LAC. After receiving testimony from fluoridation advocates, the Commission was willing to make a $20 million investment for water fluoridation infrastructure. The purpose of this investment is to allow any individual city in LAC that is current receiving optimally fluoridated MWD water to construct water fluoridation facilities to treat their own non-optimally fluoridated water. Ultimately, the city's resultant blended water would be optimally fluoridated.

Learning Objectives:
1- Describe the ongoing foundation support, political advocacy, and coalition building in advancing water fluoridation in Los Angeles County 2- Identify the role of the Los Angeles County First 5 Commission in promoting water fluoridation in Los Angles County 3- Describe successful strategies for funding municipal water fluoridation projects.

Keywords: Disease Prevention, Leadership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Public Health Director & Health Officer for Los Angeles County- Department of Public Health
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Essential Public Health Service: Community Water Fluoridation Programs
See more of: Oral Health