Calgary’s fluoride implementation more costly, delayed

The reintroduction of fluoride into Calgary’s water is coming later, and costing more, than what was initially thought.

The city’s latest July figures put the cost for infrastructure at its two water treatment plants at $28.1 million, up significantly from the 2021 estimate of $10.1 million.

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The city is saying it didn’t account for inflation or the additional project scope later shown in the design phase.

The timeline has also been pushed, with this year’s fluoride re-introduction now slated for September 2024.

Calgarians voted 61 per cent in favour of reintroducing fluoride into the city’s water supply during a 2021 plebiscite, beating out those who opposed it by nearly 65,000 votes.

Fluoride was removed from the city’s water system in 2011.