As of Wednesday, fluoride will once again flow through the taps in Windsor, Tecumseh, and LaSalle.
The Windsor Utilities Commission confirmed the date on Monday morning.
Windsor City Council voted to remove fluoride from the drinking water supply back in 2015, but since then, studies have suggested the decision had detrimental consequences for the city's children.
"A huge mistake," declared the chair of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's Board of Directors and Mayor Tecumseh, Gary McNamara, three years after the decision.
Five years after, the health unit released a study showing an increase in day surgeries because of cavities, more visits to emergency departments related to teeth, and a drop in overall oral health in children.
"The majority of the oral health-related issues that we see are a result of cavities. The rate is almost three times the provincial average," said Medical Officer of Health in 2018, Doctor Wajid Ahmed.
In 2019, city councillors opted to add fluoride back into the drinking water supply, but not without controversy. The group Fluoride Free Canada argued last September a new study linked its use to lower IQ and a higher incidence of ADHD among children.
"I can't believe that they would be persuaded to add this substance to the drinking water," said director Paul Connett at the time.
Public health officials countered that while too much fluoride could be harmful, the amount added to local drinking water was far below that level.
Since city councillors approved its reintroduction, there have been delays as the Windsor Utilities Commission conducted testing to find the optimal amount.
It had hoped to add fluoride back to the water supply by the end of 2021.