Larry Williams Drive

A review has found water in the Wellington region hasn't been fluoridated properly for at least six years.The report, which has been made public this afternoon, said fluoridation for oral health was not a priority within Wellington Water - which has apologised for the failings.This was partly due to weak regulatory settings.Regulation has focused on the safety of drinking water and only ensured it was never over-dosed with fluoride, the report found.The independent inquiry was launched following revelations the water company turned off fluoride at two plants last year without telling the board, councils, or residents.But the investigation by consultancy firm MartinJenkins has revealed the extent of Wellington's fluoride failure reaches far beyond the point of facilities being turned off.Since July 2016, on average, fluoridation has been administered effectively just 20 per cent of the time at Te Mārua and Gear Island treatment plants.These plants, plagued by ageing and unreliable fluoride infrastructure, supp