The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 4 voted to discontinue adding fluoride to Lee County Utilities drinking water. Lee County Utilities is one of about 10 utility providers in the county, including municipal operations and independent providers. The Feb. 4 decision is effective immediately and only impacts LCU customers. Fluoride is an unregulated additive, once strongly recommended by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Department of Environmental Protection. However, since Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, present at the Feb. 4 meeting, publicly opposed its use, FDEP now allows communities to decide whether to use fluoride, with no penalties to the water utilities for discontinuing the program.