Posted: Aug 16, 2011 9:11 am
Well, it sounds like you in the UK don't have a fluoridation problem - you have a government-fees problem.
Here in the US if you're hooked up to the water mains you pay the local water rates, based on actual usage via a meter.
If you have your system turned off, you pay nothing. So it is quite simple to avoid fluoridated water for those who choose.
Inconvenient? To be sure - but I don't think that anyone anywhere has cited convenience as a human right.
Unless, of course, by "water fees" you refer to the itemized tax sub-section which covers water delivery infrastructure, including piping, purification, pumps, workers, etc. etc. In that case, I would say that it is a role of every citizen to pay a share to support the overall infrastructure. Just as everyone pays out of their taxes for highway maintenance, even though they may be a little old pensioner who only drives in the country on Sundays because he still wants to run over a cow before he dies, he has to pay for the highways.
Here in the US if you're hooked up to the water mains you pay the local water rates, based on actual usage via a meter.
If you have your system turned off, you pay nothing. So it is quite simple to avoid fluoridated water for those who choose.
Inconvenient? To be sure - but I don't think that anyone anywhere has cited convenience as a human right.
Unless, of course, by "water fees" you refer to the itemized tax sub-section which covers water delivery infrastructure, including piping, purification, pumps, workers, etc. etc. In that case, I would say that it is a role of every citizen to pay a share to support the overall infrastructure. Just as everyone pays out of their taxes for highway maintenance, even though they may be a little old pensioner who only drives in the country on Sundays because he still wants to run over a cow before he dies, he has to pay for the highways.