The Cromwell Community Board yesterday decided not to fluoridate the town's water.

Fluoridation was raised at the board meeting yesterday but board members decided against it even though residents had voted in favour of it in a referendum held with the local body elections last year.

Board chairman Neil Gillespie said that when council submissions on the matter were heard earlier this year there was supporting evidence both for and against it.

Mr Gillespie said he needed to be convinced and the referendum had not provided a balanced way for people to reach a decision.

Cr Gordon Stewart said finding out the natural water in Cromwell had three parts per million of fluoride [sic: most likely .3 ppm] anyway and the recommended level was only seven parts per million [sic: most likely .7 ppm], he could not see any reason to add any more.