- HONOLULU -- After close to
five decades of citizens and legislators in Hawaii diligently defending
their right to drink water free of intentional medications and contamination,
Mayor Jeremy Harris has finalized the enactment of a unique water quality
ordinance that pro-actively preserves the rights of consumers in the City
and County of Honolulu and Island of Oahu.
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- This ordinance effectively bans fluoride as a potential
additive to municipal water.
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- Combining the intent and language of ordinances enacted
by citizens initiative in Santa Cruz, Redding and Watsonville, California,
the new Honolulu ordinance is the first in the nation to provide protection
for the safety of drinking water on two fronts: first, prohibiting the
addition of any chemical to the drinking water intended to treat humans
rather than the water; and secondly, establishing expanded and localized
criteria for limiting contaminants and ensuring FDA approval for any health
claims made for any specific products to be used, which further protects
consumers should Hawaiian or Federal law supercede and impose mass medication.
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- The deadline for Mayor Harris' signature was February
12 to conclude enactment of Bill 66 (2003) which was passed by a 7 to 2
vote of the Council of the City and County of Honolulu on January 28, 2004.
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- The text of Bill 66 (2003) can be accessed at www.co.honolulu.hi.us/refs/bill/text/2003/b066.htm.
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- Citizens for Safe Drinking Water is encouraging others
to continue this safe drinking water approach and enact pro-active water
quality legislation in their own communities. Other legislation can be
accessed at: www.Keepers-of-the-Well.org
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