Residents are concerned a town employee arbitrarily lowered the fluoride level in Richmond’s drinking water below recommended standards based on his personal beliefs.“I am concerned about the lack of transparency about the fluoride levels being lower than those set by the Community Water Fluoridation program, which Richmond is listed as participating in,” Arneson said in an email.Asked why it took almost three months since he was notified for the town to publicly address the matter, which was first reported by Seven Days, Arneson said, “The timing of the town’s response was reasonable under the circumstances.”The discussion drew concerns and criticism at a spirited water and sewer commission meeting on Sept. 19, where Chamberlin defended his decision to lower the fluoride level in the town water to less than half of what’s recommended.Residents upsetA Richmond resident for two years and a retired doctor, Allen Knowles said he was “fairly gobsmacked” to learn the fluoride level was inadequate by state standards and manipulated by an individual without town approval.Oral disease: ‘A silent epidemic’National survey data indicates that prevention of tooth decay can be maintained at the recommended level of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of drinking water."