After years of work a grassroots effort to remove fluoride from San Marcos drinking water has succeeded. Our Hays County bureau chief Russell Wilde has more.
SAN MARCOS, Texas -- As the election results began to come in, Fluoride Free San Marcos began to celebrate.
"I'm proud of the people of San Marcos for ending such an irrational policy," said Justin Arman with Texans for Accountable Government.
The effort to engage city leaders to remove fluoride from the water began years ago.
When organizers got no traction at City Hall they decided to take it to the voters.
"We thought if city council didn't want to entertain this we'd go straight to the voters. We went door to door, collected 1,647 signatures, enough to get us on the ballot," said Sam Brannon with Fluoride Free San Marcos.
That petition drive resulted in proposition one which San Marcos voters approved Tuesday.
"San Marcos is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and the people here have just sent a signal that's going to ripple and I hope it inspires more grassroots action," said Arman.
The American Dental Association endorses fluoridating municipal water supplies calling it one of the great public health achievements.
The vote ends that practice in San Marcos.
"It absolutely is a done deal. The wording makes it clear they're not going to add hydrofluoric acid to the water supply anymore," said Arman.
Fluoride free San Marco's says this sends a message that San Marcos residents care about clean natural water.
"We'll be a clean water city, and why the city council hasn't grabbed on to that I don't understand. To be able to claim that we're a clean water city that does not put hazardous waste in our water, we do care about our children, we do care about the health of our community," said Brannon.