The city of Baltimore said it would have to reduce the amount of fluoride in its municipal water system because of supply chain disruptions caused by the Iran war. “These constraints are part of broader national supply chain disruptions, driven in part by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as well as reduced domestic production and limited output from key international suppliers,” the Department of Public Works said, according to NBC News. “A key supplier based in Israel has experienced significant operational disruptions,” it added. It’s not just gas prices: Some US water utilities are reporting the Middle East war is disrupting their ability to maintain recommended fluoride levels in drinking water. https://t.co/AkkXyKUn2m — The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 13, 2026 NBC News explained further: Fluoride will be reduced from about 0.7 milligrams per liter to 0.4 mg per liter at its Ashburton and Montebello filtration plants, the department sad. “Drinking water will remain safe and meet all federal and state water quality standards,” it said. The reduction does not affect the overall safety or quality of the water, as fluoride is not a regulatorily required additive. It’s not just Baltimore. In nearby Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, WSSC Water said it was temporarily reducing fluoride for its 1.9 million customers because of disruptions. It, too, said that hydrofluorosilicic acid, used in water fluoridation, has supply chain problems linked to the war and that a major supplier in Israel “has experienced significant operational impacts.” “This is an adjustment driven solely by supply availability,” DPW Director Matthew Garbark stated, according to The Hill. “We remain committed to providing safe, high-quality drinking water,” Garbark added. Baltimore DPW reduces fluoride in drinking water, citing supply chain disruptions https://t.co/EiEwBqpKEY — The Baltimore Banner (@BaltimoreBanner) April 13, 2026 The Hill noted: There is no federal requirement regarding water fluoridation though the U.S. Public Health Service makes recommendation on what concentration municipalities should aim for. The current recommendation is 0.7 mg/L. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken out against water fluoridation, telling reporters last year that he would be directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending it. In January, the Environmental Protection Agency announced an accelerated review of the “public health risks from fluoride in drinking water.”