San Diegans for Safe Drinking Water

A Coalition of Proactive Leaders Say No to Fluoridegate

Members of San Diegans for Safe Drinking Water gather after a meeting with Council member Tony Young

Click Here to link The Presidio Sentinel’s February Issue in PDF form

by Patty Ducey-Brooks

It’s amazing what can happen when people set their minds and actions to doing something positive.  Over the past month, I’ve experienced first hand the ability of people with different skills, talents and experiences to make a major impact on changing the direction of a decision that they are opposed to.  In less than a month, this coalition has become an organized effort with a name, Web site, Facebook page, Code of Conduct (yes, that’s correct), and has been meeting and coordinating their efforts to be seen and heard with a positive message, “We are opposed to fluosilicic acid in our drinking water. And, we’re doing something about it.”  We’re also earning national and international attention for our cause, because we’re not alone.  As noted on the front page and page one of this issue, other leaders around the country are also compelled to speak out. They know they are not alone.

At the first meeting of the San Diegans for Safe Drinking water (with over 100 attendees), several people commented on feeling that no one cared.  They were extremely grateful and excited to know that there were others who shared their concerns and opinions, and they have a voice.  We have presented before City Council this past month, which lead to Council member Carl DeMaio asking the City Attorney for follow up on the laws that are currently in place to protect San Diegans from fluoride treated water (Municipal code Section 67), and to look in to the use of First 5 Commission funding (tobacco tax dollars) to initiate the construction of treatment tanks and for two years of injections.  Cost of future injections will be passed on to the consumer via water rate fees.  Upon an invitation from Council member Tony Young, representatives of San Diegans for Safe Drinking Water (SDSDW) prepared and presented a positioning statement to him at his office.

Council member Todd Gloria also met with members of the SDSDW.  He had requested information, which was sent to members of his staff.  As of January 27, 2011, the fluoride injections have not occurred, according to Alma Rice, a representative of the Public Utilities Department. However, she also wasn’t sure of the start date, and said “We just do what do what we’re told to do.” Rice also was unaware of the EPA’s recent (January 2011) recommendation to reduce the fluoride levels in drinking water on a national basis. She also didn’t seem to understand the EPA’s role with this topic.  If there is anything I’ve learned by being involved in this cause, it’s that as Americans we get the right to protest, as well as use the laws that have been put in place to protect us.

To learn more about San Diegans for Safe Drinking Water coalition, visit www.sdsdw.org.  We have a voice.