Anna Bligh's SEQ fluoride farce continues ...

Brisbane Times:

Fluoride farce continues

21 May 2009

The farcical fallout over a fluoride overdose administered from a Brisbane water treatment plant continues, with the state government today admitting it released incorrect information on when and why the incident occurred and who was affected.

Four thousand households in Brendale and Warner were last week advised they had drunk water containing an overdose of fluoride when they were actually not affected by the incident.

Interim advice from independent water expert Mark Pascoe has found the affected water may instead have been consumed by up to 211 school children at a YMCA camp and four houses on the North Pine Water Treatment Plant site between 8am and 9am on April 30. Four hundred residents in the adjacent suburb of Joyner may have also been affected.

Last week, Premier Anna Bligh said the overdose level may have been as high as 30mg/L, but that has also been revised to 19.4mg/L. The recommended maximum level is 1.5mg/L.

Mr Pascoe's interim advice has also revised the explanation for how the error occurred.

Premier Bligh apologised for any residents who were unduly concerned following last week's advice and assured the community there were unlikely to be any health effects from the overdose were very small.

Authorities have contacted the three schools whose students were at the camp and no health concerns have so far emerged.

The state government will now write to all affected residents and those who were incorrectly notified.

The final report on the incident is due to be completed on June 26.

See - Brisbane Times - Fluoride farce continues.