Kawerau District Council has been granted an extension to the directive to have fluoride added to its water supply.

It is one of 14 councils that have been given a directive from the Director General of Health to add fluoride to the town water supply by July 1.

However, members of the Kawerau community have petitioned council, saying they do not want fluoride in the water and questioning the legality of adding it.

The petition, signed by 723 people, was presented to the council December by Kawerau resident Skarlett Starr.

Ms Starr returned to speak at a public meeting in March, joined by Nelson lawyer Sue Grey, who offered legal advice to assist council apply for an extension as Nelson City Council and Waitaki District Council both had.

Ms Starr said at this meeting that some people were prepared to take legal action against the council if fluoride was added to the water.

At a Local Government New Zealand sector meeting in Wellington on April 11, Mayor Faylene Tunui and council chief executive Morgan Godfery met with Nelson Deputy Mayor Rohan O’Neill and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher seeking advice on steps they could take to seek an extension.

Mrs Tunui and Mr Godfery wrote to the Minister of Health and Director-General of Health respectively seeking an extension in recognition of the uncertainty surrounding legal action.

At a meeting of the council’s audit and risk committee on Monday, chief executive Morgan Godfery confirmed that an extension had been granted until September 30.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.