Buda City Manager Kenneth Williams Thursday announced the scheduled fluoridation of the city's water supply has been put on hold, according to a press release.
The reasoning for the administrative decision was based on feedback received from Buda city council members and the public.
However, the decision to hold on the fluoridation is not final and is temporarily in place "until the city council may revisit and make a more permanent decision," according to the release.
In the interim, Buda Mayor Todd Ruge requested a public hearing to be held at the Feb. 7 city council meeting to gather more input. According to the release, fluoridation won't take place prior to the public hearing.
In December 2016, Buda city leaders chose to resume adding fluoride to the city's water supply.
Buda's surface water portion of its water supply had been continuously fluoridated since they became customers of the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority in 2002, according to the release. The fluoridation stopped in November 2015 when the GBRA stopped fluoridating the supply source at the San Marcos treatment plant.
The city's decision to restart fluoridation, however, ignited a firestorm of controversy as numerous residents spoke out during public comment at the Jan. 3 and Jan. 17 city council meetings to express their concerns.
This story is developing. We will update as more information becomes available.
