Anchorage Mayor Under Fire for Shutting Down Municipal Water System

According to a story filed by digital reporter Megan Pacer with Alaska's News Source, "[Anchorage Mayor David Bronson] decided to turn off the system for adding fluoride to the city’s water supply in early October after hearing from employees that the fluoride was causing negative physical symptoms. It was then turned back on hours later when it was discovered fluoridation is required by city code."

The Alaska Landmine blog recently claimed that the mayor and senior staff members had interfered with the city's water system while on a visit to the Eklutna Water Treatment Plant on October 1. Pacer quotes from a  statement from the Mayor's Office responding to the controversy:

“During the visit, a discussion ensued about health problems occurring among water treatment plant staff charged with fluoridation of Anchorage’s water supply,” the statement reads. “AWWU staff informed the Mayor’s team that fluoride burned the eyes and throats of staff who handled it and was a health hazard for employees. Fluoride is considered a hazardous substance that must be handled by trained professionals.”

"The announcement from the mayor’s office comes a day after the assembly began looking into all three allegations made the the Alaska Landmine blog. The other two claims are that Bronson’s administration pressured Anchorage Police Chief Ken McCoy to remove Anchorage police officers from the assembly chambers during a volatile meeting in October, and that the administration asked McCoy to have officers enter a local hospital to remove a COVID-19 patient."