Hightstown should have been celebrating. ...or maybe theyre investigating to see who they should thank, and then they are all going to celebrate together. If someone was directly involved in putting an end to the inclusion of toxic waste Sodium Fluorosilicic Acid and Sodium Fluoride in my water, i'd make them the god father of my child.

Lawnnap is too funny. Actually, NJ lags far behind the rest of the US in water fluoridation so Hightstown is now taking a lead in the race to the bottom. :-)
At the least, common sense would have dictated that the boro inform local dentists and pediatricians so they could properly advise patients. Today's Trenton Times ran this story but included far more details...apparently despite stopping fluoridation, the boro approved a 2-year contract of more than $17,000 for fluoride in Nov 2010, two months after they say fluoride was stopped.
Makes it easier to understand why some council members are trying to improve transparency, doesn't it? Boro has turbidity in their water and their municipal staff/operations.

Yes, more dentists who came from the same outdated, under-researched school of thought. ....more who write off the large percentage of children in America with Dental Fluorosis caused by water fluoridation as a cosmetic issue less important than cavities. More dentists who are not studying the actual bone/skeletal fluorosis/osteoporosis. More pediatricians who continue to ignore the research and call for a ban of fluoridated water in infant formula. More people in white coats who don't consider the amount of fluoridated water that is used to water the states crops with and the toxic run-off that enters our nation's waterways, but rather continue to practice their love for money and bonuses. All this, plus more people who will ingest whatever is given to them.

I say keep it out and thanks for stopping it......Do your research and you will find they did you a big favor.

The problem isn't if it's in there or not, but that we weren't informed.

Some of the comments here are quite radical and grossly exaggerated. The majority of NJ water supplies are privately owned and fluoride is not added probably because it is an expense. Nearly all publicly owned water supplies add fluoride as recommended by the American Dental Association. To those who feel that fluoride is a poison I say any substance known to man can be poisonous if not administered properly. People need to research this subject objectively and you will find there are pros and cons to consider. Please don't resort to fear tactics we get enough of that already. This article really isn't about opinions on fluoridation, it is about a failure to alert/inform the public, the expensive purchase of a product that is no longer in use and the breakdown of management. What else aren't we being told is my question.

"The council will then need to decide if fluoride should be once again added to the water supply." ….seems like a pretty decent window to bring up the topic of the pending threat of the New Jersey Public Water Supply Fluoridation Act to me. But maybe that's just my "radical" side who doesn't wish to appoint the State as my caretaker.

Regarding fluoridated water which will be used to water the state's crops every day vs. EPA's 2011 decision to start working towards a ban of fluoride-based pesticides…would be 2 steps back in the other direction...

http://www.ewg.org/release/epa-bar-fluoride-based-pesticide

or in 2011 Health and Human Services announcing plans to reduce the fluoride level in water from 1.2 milligrams per liter to 0.7 milligrams per liter….sounds like the American Dental Association had it right for 60+ years to me...

http://www.ewg.org/release/us-catches-science-fluoride-drinking-water

Regarding "fear tactics", I apologize if anyone was frightened.

Oh great...he sat on the council ...Board of Health...for 8 yrs and had no clue this went on? So... they are going to do a timeline to see what and where things went wrong...we were not informed! I pay a hefty price for both water and sewer and the town is obligated to inform us when they are going to cut back on costs at a cost that might have impact to residents..... I don't feel you did me a "favor"...I feel you went behind my back.

Why is your wrath aimed at the council members and Board of Health and not directed at the boro employees who intentionally withheld this information until they were outed by an anonymous tipster? We are in the same boat, no one was informed and I am very angry because it seems like a pattern with boro employees. Lack of accountability and openness.

The NJDEP provided Patch with more information today, and an article on the update can be found here: http://patch.com/A-rLp3

Oh Hightstown, my dear, dear town, when will your news be good? So much controversy in the last 10 years. How have you survived?

Clara the "wrath" is geared towards everyone and anyone in Hightstown that knew or did not know about the situation and FAILED to tell the taxpayers. If we notified the DEP...and followed proper order, then why were the residents not notified back in 2010? Why do we need to prepare a timeline? I would have to believe if someone informed the DEP the flouride was not being added to our drinking water, back in 2010, why were we not informed then? Why now did it seep out...from no where and everyone is like a deer in the headlights? I say...we are all due a refund/rebate, pro-rated from 2010 against our water bills. I was paying for something...that was not there...I am not angry, I just want answers. We are all owed answers, even if they are after the fact.

Well said Clara. This is not about flouride. It's about a cover up, again. Officials in Hightstown love to excuse their lack of attention to detail by claiming all who complain are "negative". STOP dismissing it all with that nonsense, you look silly. DO something good, people, please. Change the way people perceive this government through actions, not talking. Yes, we want to know why you didn't tell us about this. Yes, it is important. No, we won't go away.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control listed water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century;[14]

The larger issue here is not the fine print in the EPA regulations, and has absolutely nothing to do with any regulations outside of the Borough. It has to do with the fact that just a few years ago the question of fluoridation was debated vigorously before the Hightstown Board of Health. After due consideration of the testimony offered, the Board voted to continue the practice of fluoridation. Now we come to find out the practice was stopped not through the result of any deliberate, thoughtful consideration, but because a pipe broke and somehow, incredibly, no one thought this was a serious enough issue to bring this matter to the attention of those in the Borough charged with oversight of this matter. Members of Council are paid about $3,000 a year to serve the residents and address issues of concern to us all. Since the Borough often seems to run on 'automatic pilot' we might consider outsourcing the whole bunch and pocket the cash to offset recent tax increases.

Resumption of fluoridation of Hightstown water will be discussed and possibly authorized at the Monday Aug 6, 2012 council meeting. The Hightstown Board of Health voted in its July Meeting to endorse the resumption of fluoridation of Hightstown water as soon as possible. Members of the Board of Health are expected to be at the Monday August 6, 2012 council meeting to answer questions from council and the public. Residents should know that there may be a vote on a resolution to resume fluoridation at that meeting.