Fluoride in Jonesborough, TN Water: Yes, It's Fluoridated — at 0.37 mg/L
Jonesborough adds fluoride to its drinking water — but its most recent report measured about half the level the CDC recommends. Here's the number, how it stacks up against the federal benchmarks, the 2017 vote that nearly ended fluoridation (and the reversal that kept it), and what it all means for toothpaste, kids, and wells.
Yes — Jonesborough's water is fluoridated. The Jonesborough Water Department (TN0000338) treats Nolichucky River surface water in its own system and adjusts its fluoride; the utility's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report measured 0.37 mg/L on average (individual samples ranged from 0.2 to 0.9 mg/L). That's about half the CDC recommended level of 0.7 mg/L — real fluoridation, but a modest dose, so fluoride toothpaste matters here.
How to read this page: every Jonesborough figure comes from the utility's own 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — not from estimates or national averages. Units: the report lists fluoride in ppm; for drinking water, 1 ppm = 1 mg/L, and this page uses mg/L throughout. One caution up front: this page covers Jonesborough Water Department customers. If another utility's name is on your water bill, your fluoridation status may be different — see how to confirm below.
Water quality in Jonesborough
Curious about your tap water? Tennessee Water Authority has the full Jonesborough water quality guide — contaminant data, utility details, and filter recommendations.
The full picture: our complete fluoride guide
This page is the Jonesborough companion — the local number and what it means. For the statewide walkthrough (how fluoridation works, the safety evidence, filters that remove fluoride, and how Tennessee cities compare), see our complete fluoride guide.
Jonesborough's fluoride level, against the benchmarks
Jonesborough practices adjusted fluoridation: the utility adds fluoride to its Nolichucky River water, and its 2024 Consumer Confidence Report lists fluoride as a water additive used to promote strong teeth. The measured result was 0.37 mg/L on average — below the CDC recommended level, though individual samples ranged as high as 0.9 mg/L. We report the number as measured; we don't round it up to the target.
| Measure | Level | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Jonesborough Water Department — measured average, 2024 | 0.37 mg/LRange 0.2–0.9 mg/L | What the utility's own testing actually found in the water during 2024 — about half the CDC recommended level |
| CDC recommended level | 0.7 mg/L | The level U.S. public health agencies recommend for balancing cavity protection against fluorosis risk. Jonesborough's average sits below this |
| EPA secondary (non-enforceable) standard | 2.0 mg/L | A non-enforceable guideline aimed at preventing cosmetic dental fluorosis (mottling) in children. Jonesborough is far below it |
| EPA enforceable maximum contaminant level (MCL) | 4.0 mg/L | The enforceable legal ceiling for fluoride in public drinking water. Jonesborough's average is less than one-tenth of it — no violation |
Don't confuse the three federal numbers — they're often scrambled in online discussions. 0.7 mg/L is the CDC recommended level (the target for cavity prevention). 2.0 mg/L is the EPA secondary (non-enforceable) standard (a guideline about cosmetic effects). 4.0 mg/L is the EPA enforceable maximum contaminant level (MCL). Jonesborough's 0.37 mg/L is below the first and far below both EPA standards.
2017: the year Jonesborough nearly ended fluoridation
If you've heard that Jonesborough "voted to remove fluoride," you heard half the story. The town did vote that way — and then, months later, it voted the other way. Fluoridation never actually stopped. Here's the full sequence, because the ending matters more than the headline.
Before deciding, the town asked its customers. The survey came back nearly split down the middle: of 782 surveys, 376 favored removal, 355 favored keeping fluoride, and 51 were undecided. This was not a town of one mind — it was a town genuinely divided, by a margin of 21 surveys.
On February 13, 2017, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 3–1 to discontinue fluoridation. That vote is the one that made the news, and it's the one people still repeat.
But the story didn't end there. In August 2017, the board took the question up again and reversed itself — voting unanimously to continue fluoridation "without any change." Because the reversal came before removal ever took effect, fluoridation was never ultimately removed. The strongest confirmation is the newest paperwork: the utility's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report still lists fluoride as a water additive, seven years later.
The fair way to describe Jonesborough is not "a town that removed fluoride" or "a town that never questioned it." It's a town that debated the question seriously, in public, with its residents split almost evenly — and decided to keep fluoridating. Reasonable people landed on both sides of that survey; the decision the town actually made, and still stands by, is the one in your tap today. (Contemporary reporting on the reversal is archived here.)
What 0.37 mg/L means for your teeth
Fluoridated water at about half the recommended level is still working for you — every glass delivers a small background dose that helps remineralize enamel. But at 0.37 mg/L instead of 0.7, that background dose is modest, which makes the things you control — toothpaste, kids' brushing habits, and in-office treatments for cavity-prone teeth — carry more of the load.
01 Do you still need fluoride toothpaste? Yes
Drinking water is background exposure; toothpaste is the main event. Brushing puts a concentrated dose of fluoride directly on the enamel surface, twice a day — that's where most cavity protection actually comes from, in Jonesborough and everywhere else.
At 0.37 mg/L, the water's background contribution is modest, so the case for toothpaste is stronger here, not weaker. Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste — skipping it because "the water has fluoride" gives up the strongest protection you have.
02 Kids: small amounts, supervised
Children need fluoride toothpaste too — in the right amount. The ADA's guidance: a rice-grain smear for children under age 3, and a pea-size amount from age 3 up.
Supervise brushing and teach kids to spit, not swallow. Young children who swallow toothpaste day after day can take in more fluoride than they need while their permanent teeth are still forming — the amounts above are sized to prevent exactly that while still protecting the teeth.
03 Fluoride varnish: worth somewhat more here
Because Jonesborough's water runs at about half the CDC recommended level, professional fluoride varnish carries somewhat more value here than it would in a town running at 0.7 mg/L. Varnish delivers a much stronger, longer-lasting dose on top of a thinner background — especially worthwhile for kids and higher-risk adults, such as anyone with recurring cavities or dry mouth.
The honest framing: this is a nudge, not an alarm. If cavities rarely show up in your family, the added gain is modest and there's no rush. If they keep showing up, varnish is one of the cheapest, easiest reinforcements available. Your dentist can tell you which side of that line your family is on.
04 On a private well? Different rules
Private wells are not fluoridated by any utility — whatever fluoride is in well water is whatever occurs naturally in the ground, which varies and is usually low. The town's 0.37 mg/L figure does not apply to your well.
Get the water tested before assuming anything — and before even thinking about fluoride supplements. Supplements dosed without knowing the water's natural level can overshoot, and they should only ever be used with a dentist's or pediatrician's input — never as a guess.
How to confirm it yourself
Don't take our word for it — the primary document is public, and checking it takes two minutes.
- Read Jonesborough's Consumer Confidence Report. The Jonesborough Water Department 2024 Consumer Confidence Report lists fluoride as a water additive and reports 0.37 mg/L average, range 0.2–0.9 mg/L. A new report is published each year — next year's is the one to watch for changes.
- Check CDC My Water's Fluoride. The CDC's My Water's Fluoride database tracks fluoridation status by water system and county — a good independent cross-check on any system's status.
- On a different utility? This page covers Jonesborough Water Department (TN0000338) only. If your water bill names a different utility, find that utility's own Consumer Confidence Report (utilities must make it available to customers annually) and look for the fluoride row: the level detected, the range, and whether the utility describes adjusting or adding fluoride.
- On a private well? No report exists — your water is yours to test. A certified lab test for fluoride tells you the natural level before you and your dentist or pediatrician discuss whether anything more is needed.
Questions people actually ask us
The real questions from the chair — answered straight, with Jonesborough's actual numbers and its actual history.
Yes. The Jonesborough Water Department (TN0000338) adjusts the fluoride in the Nolichucky River water it treats, and its 2024 Consumer Confidence Report lists fluoride as a water additive used to promote strong teeth. The town came close to ending fluoridation in 2017 — the board voted to discontinue it in February, then reversed that decision unanimously in August, before removal ever took effect. The water is fluoridated today.
The Jonesborough Water Department's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report measured a fluoride average of 0.37 mg/L, with individual samples ranging from 0.2 to 0.9 mg/L. That average is about half the CDC recommended level of 0.7 mg/L, and far below the EPA secondary (non-enforceable) standard of 2.0 mg/L and the EPA enforceable maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 4.0 mg/L.
Yes — in February 2017. On February 13, 2017, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 3–1 to discontinue fluoridation, after a customer survey came back nearly split: of 782 surveys, 376 favored removal, 355 favored keeping it, and 51 were undecided. But in August 2017 the board reversed itself, voting unanimously to continue fluoridation “without any change.” Removal never took effect, and the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report still lists fluoride as an additive — the water is fluoridated today.
Because adjusting fluoride doesn't hold the level at exactly 0.7 mg/L in every sample. Jonesborough's 2024 report shows an average of 0.37 mg/L across the year, with individual samples ranging from 0.2 to 0.9 mg/L — some samples reached or passed 0.7, but the average landed at about half the CDC recommended level. The report publishes the measurements without explaining the gap, and we won't invent a reason. The practical takeaway: Jonesborough's water provides modest background fluoride, so toothpaste and brushing habits carry more of the load here than in a town running at 0.7.
Yes. Drinking water is background exposure; toothpaste is the main event — it puts a concentrated dose of fluoride directly on the enamel, twice a day, which is where most cavity protection comes from. At Jonesborough's 0.37 mg/L average, the water's background contribution is modest, so skipping fluoride toothpaste gives up protection you aren't getting from the tap. Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
Follow the ADA's amounts: a rice-grain smear of fluoride toothpaste for children under age 3, and a pea-size amount for ages 3 and up. Supervise brushing, teach kids to spit rather than swallow, and keep the tube out of reach between brushings. Young children who swallow toothpaste day after day can take in more fluoride than they need while their permanent teeth are still forming — the small amounts are sized to protect teeth without that extra intake.
It's worth a real conversation, especially for kids and higher-risk adults. Because Jonesborough's water runs at about half the CDC recommended level, professional fluoride varnish carries somewhat more value here than it would in a town at 0.7 mg/L — it's a stronger, longer-lasting dose on top of a thinner background. That isn't a reason to panic or to book extra treatments reflexively; if cavities rarely show up in your family, the gain is modest. Ask your dentist where you or your child falls.
Well water is not fluoridated by any utility — whatever fluoride it holds is whatever occurs naturally in the ground, which varies and is usually low. Don't assume your well matches the town's 0.37 mg/L. Have the water tested for fluoride first; only then can you and your dentist or pediatrician judge whether anything more is needed. Never start fluoride supplements based on a guess.
Sources
- Jonesborough Water Department — Consumer Confidence Report 2024: fluoride listed as a water additive; measured average 0.37 mg/L, range 0.2–0.9 mg/L. jonesboroughtn.org/wp-content/uploads/CCR-Report-2024-PDF.pdf (accessed October 20, 2026). Primary source for Jonesborough's status and level.
- Johnson City Press reporting, archived by Fluoride Action Network — "Fluoride to stay in Jonesborough water after unanimous Board of Mayor and Aldermen decision" (August 2017): the February 13, 2017 vote (3–1) to discontinue fluoridation, the near-even customer survey (782 surveys: 376 to remove, 355 to keep, 51 undecided), and the unanimous August 2017 vote to continue fluoridation "without any change." fluoridealert.org/news/fluoride-to-stay-in-jonesborough-water-after-unanimous-board-of-mayor-and-aldermen-decision/
- CDC — community water fluoridation: CDC recommended level for drinking water, 0.7 mg/L. Cross-check any system's status in CDC My Water's Fluoride.
- U.S. EPA — National Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Regulations: fluoride EPA enforceable maximum contaminant level (MCL) 4.0 mg/L; EPA secondary (non-enforceable) standard 2.0 mg/L.
- American Dental Association: fluoride toothpaste amounts for children — rice-grain smear under age 3, pea-size amount from age 3.