Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Fluoride

Water Quality

9.0 Recreation

Effects

No effects of fluoride on recreation were found in the literature. Substantial quantities of water would have to be swallowed to cause any noticeable effect on health.

Literature Criteria

The surface water quality objective for fluoride in Alberta and Saskatchewan is 1.5 mg/L (Anon, 1975; Anon, 1977; and Anon, undated). In Manitoba, the surface water quality objective for fluoride for all areas and types of use is 1.0 mg/L (Anon, 1979), and class 2B waters, suitable for fisheries and recreation, should not exceed 1.5 mg/L fluoride (Anon, 1980). These references were not specific for recreation, but were more general and included recreational use. CCME (Anon, 1987), does not set a recreation guideline for fluoride.

Recommended Criteria

No criteria were set.

Rationale

Fluoride does not appear to be a problem for recreational uses of water and natural levels or levels suitable for other uses will generally be adequate for recreation.


	Water Quality Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Fluoride 9.0 Recreation Effects No effects of fluoride on recreation were found in the literature. Substantial quantities of water would have to be swallowed to cause any noticeable effect on health. Literature Criteria The surface water quality objective for fluoride in Alberta and Saskatchewan is 1.5 mg/L (Anon, 1975; Anon, 1977; and Anon, undated). In Manitoba, the surface water quality objective for fluoride for all areas and types of use is 1.0 mg/L (Anon, 1979), and class 2B waters, suitable for fisheries and recreation, should not exceed 1.5 mg/L fluoride (Anon, 1980). These references were not specific for recreation, but were more general and included recreational use. CCME (Anon, 1987), does not set a recreation guideline for fluoride. Recommended Criteria No criteria were set. Rationale Fluoride does not appear to be a problem for recreational uses of water and natural levels or levels suitable for other uses will generally be adequate for recreation.