FOUNTAIN, Minn. — The City Council voted 4-1 to fire the Fountain public works director for failing to shut off a fluoride pump while the wellhouse for the community’s water system was offline. As a result, the concentration in drinking water soared to 2.2 milligrams oer liter. Anything beyond 0.9 is perilous. John Hanson also failed to inform state health authorities or the City Council about the fluoride overfeed, investigators said. Hanson responded at a City Council hearing that he was inadequately trained and didn’t know what to do.
Fluoride profile
Fluoride is colorless with a slight bitterness in large quantities. It’s of proven value in small quantities it to combat dental cavities. At the recommendation of dentists, municipal water systems have infused fluoride into drinking water since the 1940s. Excessive quantities are thought to affect human immune systems.
Fountain profile
Fountain, population 400, is in north-central Fillmore County near the county seat Preston. To outsiders the city is known mostly for family-owned Drury’s furniture retailer, which advertises heavily in Rochester 16 miles away.