BRANSON, Mo. — The City of Branson is asking residents for their input on fluoride in the water.

Currently, only two districts don’t add the mineral to the water.

The Board of Aldermen held a special meeting on the issue, hearing from experts on both sides.

“Water fluoridation is the most cost-effective means of preventing tooth decay for both children and adults in the United States. The cost of a lifetime of water fluoridation for one person is less than the cost of one filling,” said Dr. Gabriel Harr.

The city says it costs nearly $90,000 per year to keep fluoride in the water and is seeking opinions from residents because the equipment needed for the process needs repairing, and aldermen are weighing the issue before re-investing in the technology.

“Instead of using it to buy fluoride and pay somebody to do fluoride, maybe we figure out better ways to filter the water that we already have,” said Dr. Bo Bandy, who is against the use of fluoride in the city’s water. “Maybe we figure out better ways to purify the water that we already have.”

The Board of Aldermen will vote on the issue in November.

The city says people can provide written comments to publiccomment@bransonmo.gov or speak in-person at the November meeting.