Tennessee House Bill HB0897

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7, relative to fluoridation of drinking water.

Summary

HB0897 amends Tennessee law governing public water systems and fluoridation of drinking water. The bill would require a water system to move from quarterly to monthly fluoride testing if a quarterly sample exceeds 0.4 milligrams per liter, and to notify customers when that threshold is exceeded. If three consecutive monthly tests show fluoride below 0.4 milligrams per liter, the system may return to quarterly testing. The bill also clarifies that naturally occurring fluoride is not prohibited so long as it remains within federal limits. The bill further directs any public water system fluoridating its supply on May 1, 2025, to stop adding fluoride or fluoride compounds by July 31, 2025, and to give customers written notice at least 30 days before fluoridation ends. It also adds the addition of fluoride or fluoride compounds to the public drinking water supply as a defined term in the relevant statutory part, and the act would take effect May 1, 2025.

Impact

HB0897 would significantly change Tennessee’s public water fluoridation framework by ending the addition of fluoride to water supplies that are fluoridating as of May 1, 2025, while also imposing enhanced monitoring and notification requirements for systems with elevated fluoride levels. It would amend Tennessee Code Annotated Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7, affecting public water systems, water operators, and customers served by those systems. The bill would also preserve treatment of naturally occurring fluoride, subject to federal maximum limits, and would require customer notice and more frequent lab testing in response to higher fluoride readings.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes in the provided materials, the available context suggests the measure is framed as a regulatory and public-notice change rather than a negotiated compromise. The bill’s structure indicates a clear policy direction toward discontinuing fluoridation in public water systems while maintaining monitoring for naturally occurring fluoride. Because no transcripts or vote history are provided, there is no documented committee sentiment to assess beyond the bill’s apparent intent.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the policy choice to require public water systems fluoridating on May 1, 2025, to stop adding fluoride by July 31, 2025. Supporters may view the bill as a consumer-notice and public-health transparency measure, while opponents may argue that it removes a long-standing water treatment practice used to support dental health. A secondary issue is the new testing and notification trigger at 0.4 mg/L, which could raise operational and compliance concerns for water systems. No specific stakeholder positions are included in the provided materials.