July 27, 2000

Another Utah county has decided to let voters determine the controversial question of whether to flouridate their drinking water.

Still, there are potential problems. Problems, having nothing to do with what's in the water, but rather what's in the law.

News Specialist Scott Light reports.

Davis County is the latest to put the issue on the November ballot.

Proponents are adamant about the health benefits. Opponents say flouride can poison the water.

And now, one organization says the ballot box could lead to the jury box.

Davis County Commissioner Carol Page gets a few phone calls a day and several pieces of correspondence regarding flouride in county water.

Carol Page/Davis County Commissioner: "THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF DEBATE-- HOTLY DEBATED, AND IT'S GOING TO GET MUCH WORSE BEFORE NOVEMBER."

If Davis County voters decide to put flouride in, come November, the Utah Association of Counties says that vote will put something else in the water-- possible legal problems.

Lisa Kalantzes/Utah Assoc. of Counties: "WE'RE NOT TRYING TO KEEP THIS FROM THE BALLOT. WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT A LAWSUIT AFTER IT GOES TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE."

It turns out all that water and all those pipes under the ground pose legal questions.

For example, take the Weber Basin. It provides water to Davis and Weber Counties.

One of the legal issues is, can the two water systems function independently?

"IF WEBER WERE TO VOTE AGAINST IT AND DAVIS FOR IT, YOU'D HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM CAN BE SEPARATED SO IT'S PUT IN FOR ONE COUNTY AND NOT FOR THE OTHER."

Commissioner Page says that's exactly the case for Davis and Weber.

But the Association of Counties says no one really knows which water systems overlap and which ones don't.

Plus, are water districts and voter districts compatible in a county vote?

"WE WANT IT TO GO TO A VOTE, TO GO TO THE BALLOT AS LONG AS IT CAN BE A FAIR PROCESS SO WE'RE NOT OPENING OURSELVES UP TO LAWSUITS AFTERWARDS."

Utah does have the lowest percentage of flouridated water in the country at just three percent.

I asked Commissioner Page to make a prediction on the vote and she says it's too close to call.

Davis is putting it on the ballot. Weber and Utah Counties are considering doing so.