The Water (Fluoridation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

Fluoridation of water supplies at request of Boards

3.—(1) Where a Board, with the approval of the Department of Health and Social Services, has applied in writing to the Department for the water supplied within an area specified in the application to be fluoridated, the Department may, while the application remains in force, increase the fluoride content of the water supplied by it within that area.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), an application shall remain in force until the Board, after giving reasonable notice in writing to the Department, withdraws it.

(3) The area specified in an application may be the whole, or any part, of the area of the Board making the application.

(4) Where, in exercise of the power conferred by this Article, the fluoride content of any water is increased, the increase may be effected only by the addition of one or more of the following compounds of fluorine— hexafluorosilicic acid (H₂SiF₆); disodium hexafluorosilicate (Na₂SiF₆).

(5) Any Board making arrangements with the Department in pursuance of an application shall ensure that those arrangements include provisions designed to secure that the concentration of fluoride in the water supplied to consumers in the area in question is, so far as is reasonably practicable, maintained at one milligram per litre.

(6) Water to which fluoride has been added by the Department in exercise of the power conferred by this Article (with a view to its supply in any area) may be supplied by the Department to consumers in any other area if the Department considers that it is necessary to do so—

(a) for the purpose of dealing with an emergency, or

(b) in connection with the carrying out of any works (including cleaning and maintenance) by the Department.