Middle East conflict blamed for temporary fluoride reduction in drinking water of 2 Md. counties

Thomas Robertson | trobertson@wtop.com
April 8, 2026, 4:34 PM

WSSC Water is temporarily reducing the level of fluoride added to the drinking water of its nearly 2 million customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.

The utility said in a news release the reduction is due to “nationwide supply challenges linked in part to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” ... Starting Wednesday afternoon, fluoride levels will go down from approximately .7 milligrams per liter to .4 milligrams per liter.

According to WSSC Water, one major supplier of hydrofluorosilicic acid, the compound used to fluoridate water, is based in Israel and has experienced “significant operational impacts” in recent months.

Fluoride is not mandated by federal or state regulations, but is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization to help strengthen teeth and prevent cavities, WSSC Water said.

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Thomas Robertson
Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.
trobertson@wtop.com