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2012

These statistics were prepared using water system data reported by states to the CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System as of December 31, 2012, and the US Census Bureau state population estimates for 2012.
 

National Water Fluoridation Statistics

Total US population, peoplea 313,914,040
US population on community water systems (CWS), peopleb 282,534,910
Total US population on fluoridated drinking water systems, peopleb 210,655,401
Percentage of US population receiving fluoridated waterc 67.1%
Percentage of US population on CWS receiving fluoridated waterd 74.6%
Total number of CWS in United Statesb 52,734
Number of CWS providing fluoridated waterb 18,502
Number of CWS adjusting fluorideb 5,999
Number of CWS consecutive to systems with optimal fluoride levelsb 6,342
Number of CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb,e 6,151
Population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb,e 11,116,202

State Fluoridation Percentage Calculations and States Ranked by Fluoridation Percentage

State Persons receiving fluoridated water Persons served by CWS % Rank
United States 210,655,401 282,534,910 74.6%
Alabamaf 3,812,180 4,849,377 78.6% 23
Alaska 361,240 682,528 52.9% 41
Arizona 3,199,068 5,536,324 57.8% 38
Arkansas 1,785,679 2,669,485 66.9% 33
Californiaf,g,h 24,215,234 38,041,430 63.7% 34
Coloradof 3,757,694 5,187,582 72.4% 28
Connecticut 2,350,532 2,603,377 90.3% 14
Delaware 705,824 818,110 86.3% 19
District of Columbia 595,000 595,000 100%
Florida 13,371,262 17,149,724 78.0% 24
Georgiaf 9,551,793 9,919,945 96.3% 6
Hawaii 139,598 1,290,549 10.8% 50
Idaho 395,863 1,097,332 36.1% 46
Illinoisf 12,682,543 12,875,255 98.5% 3
Indiana 4,342,273 44,582,496 94.8% 8
Iowa 2,555,593 2,778,894 92.0% 12
Kansas 1,719,503 2,702,452 63.6% Tied for 35
Kentuckyf 4,375,026 4,380,415 99.9% 1
Louisianaf 1,996,568 4,601,893 43.4% 45
Maine 527,163 664,063 79.4% 22
Maryland 5,060,379 5,204,155 97.2% 4
Massachusettsf 4,681,038 6,646,144 70.4% 31
Michigan 7,218,670 7,999,859 90.2% 15
Minnesota 4,134,663 4,184,753 98.8% 2
Mississippif 1,738,478 2,984,926 58.2% 37
Missouri 3,994,342 5,226,360 76.4% 26
Montana 252,299 788,805 32.0% 47
Nebraska 1,015,094 1,425,664 71.2% 30
Nevada 1,870,698 2,544,079 73.5% 27
New Hampshire 383,333 832,631 46.0% 43
New Jersey 1,206,270 8,288,715 14.6% 49
New Mexico 1,210,877 1,571,600 77.0% 25
New York 12,989,488 18,094,452 71.8% 29
North Carolina 6,164,847 7,042,655 87.5% 18
North Dakota 612,560 633,645 96.7% 5
Ohio 9,716,289 10,537,957 92.2% 11
Oklahoma 2,486,718 3,548,057 70.1% 32
Oregon 833,557 3,688,540 22.6% 48
Pennsylvania 5,885,390 10,780,146 54.6% 40
Rhode Island 837,549 997,824 83.9% 20
South Carolina 3,602,956 3,839,526 93.8% 9
South Dakota 646,671 690,759 93.6% 10
Tennessee 5,229,461 5,826,866 89.7% 16
Texas 20,002,506 25,113,656 79.6% 21
Utah 1,384,638 2,676,448 51.7% 42
Vermont 252,920 450,483 56.1% 39
Virginia 6,159,737 6,416,760 96.0% 7
Washington 3,515,797 5,525,840 63.6% Tied for 35
West Virginia 1,365,697 1,499,749 91.1% 13
Wisconsin 3,597,525 4,025,756 89.4% 17
Wyoming 195,891 449,223 43.6% 44

Footnotes

a. Census Population Count 2012. Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2012, (NST-EST2012-01). Source: US Census Bureau, Population Division. Release Date: December 2012. Available at http://www.census.gov/popest/data/intercensal/state/state2012.html.

b. Reported in CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS). For purposes of this report, a water system is considered a community water system if so designated by the state drinking water administrator in accordance with the regulatory requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency. In general, public water systems provide water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections, or serve an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year. A community water system is a public water system that supplies water to the same population year-round. Available at http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/pws/factoids.cfm.

c. Fluoridated population divided by total population.

d. Fluoridated population divided by population served by community water systems.

e. The increase from 2010 to 2012 in the population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levels is due in part to two changes: 1) several states have improved the completeness and accuracy of their data for the natural fluoride concentration of community water systems and 2) some states had implemented the proposed recommendation of 0.7mg/L as the optimal concentration of fluoride in drinking water by December 31, 2012. See Federal Register Notice. Available at https://federalregister.gov/a/2011-637.

f . Population served by CWS exceeded the US Census state population estimate; number of people was reduced by the ratio of the population estimate to the CWS population estimate.

g. Complete data were not available from WFRS; state provided additional information.

h. California is developing new methodology to describe the fluoridated status of water systems that draw water from multiple sources (e.g., ground water, surface water). This report does not reflect California’s new methodology.

Additional Resources


More detail on U.S. Census Bureau estimates can be found at Calculating Fluoridation Statistics

Historical fluoridation statistics are available at Fluoridation Statistics

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