Nelson City Council thinks the Government should foot the bill for the region to have its water fluoridated.
The council has been asked by Nelson Marlborough District Health Board to fluoridate the district's water supply.
Councillor Luke Ackland says it's unfair for the council to pay for staff time and legal fees, because it's not its problem.
"There seems to be a push from central Government to divest themselves of responsibility on a lot of issues, and unfortunately the local body ended up carrying the costs and huge time of that," he told RadioLIVE.
The council has sent a letter to the Government asking for it to consider fluoridation as a central Government issue.
Palmerston North recently installed a tap with non-fluoridated water to appease anti-fluoride activists there, while Hamilton's decision to ditch fluoride was reversed last year after a referendum backed its return.
3 News
source: newshub archive
