The Labour Government changed the rules in 2021, removing the decision-making on fluoridation from local councils. Last year, the Ministry of Health advised the Grey council it was required to fluoridate its water supplies.
However, councillors this week voted to seek feedback from the community, thereby deferring spending the required $900,000 on installing a fluoridation plant.
Group manager operations Aaron Haymes told councillors on Tuesday that staff had "pushed back" on the initial request.
"We said we believe the community here shouldn't have to pay for that infrastructure because it is going to be handed over to the new water entity to manage (under three waters changes)," Mr Haymes said.
Blackball water is exempt from fluoridation, as the population threshold of 500 meant "only the greater Greymouth area will require the plant".
Mayor Tania Gibson was not pleased.
"This is getting mandated on to us again by central government and our community hasn't been consulted. I don't believe we have to accept it through this process."
Cr Jack O'Connor agreed, saying the issue had not been brought up in the recent consultation round and "it would appear like we are hiding something - we are not at all".
Cr Rex MacDonald asked about the financial and reputational risk if the council defied the government directive.
Mr Haymes cautioned there would probably be "some type of intervention," and "there will definitely be some reputational consequences".
Mayor Gibson asked pointedly: "Is that from the Government point of view, or from the community who haven't had a say?"
Asked by Cr Robert Mallinson if the council was acting legally, chief executive Paul Morris said it was, adding that local government once had the power to determine whether water was fluoridated, "until it was taken away and given to the director-general of health".
"You do have an opportunity to gauge your community's feelings - that's feedback that can be given to the Ministry of Health."
Referring to the looming Three Waters reform, which will see the West Coast swallowed into a larger Canterbury entity, Mr Morris said this would "probably be the only time the community will get a say".
"The rules may change come October."
Mr Haymes said legislation from 2021 allows the director-general of health to instruct local authorities to add fluoride and the authority must comply with the direction; it is an offence for a council to contravene the directive.
The legislation change also says the local authority is not required to consult.
Holding firm, Mayor Gibson proposed the $900,000 cost of upgrading the water scheme for fluoridation be deferred until the community had been consulted, and external funding sought.
Councillors passed the motion unanimously.
- By Meg Fulford
