The state of your teeth and the future growth, decay and problems that will occur is greatly attributed to genetics. Sorry to burst the bubble but you could have a town of 100 and every second person will give you their hell stories and what they believe contributed to their hell. The person next door will have white pristine teeth and have no idea why.

I was born in country further north than the compass goes. I had creek water and no flouride. My teeth have never been cheap to keep and I would be foolish not to believe that my ancestors diet, resulting evolution and genetics weren't partially responsible.

If we are a presently evolving species which can be proven, then maybe just maybe our bodies will evolve to deal with the world that is physically changing around us.

Water use is an important part of modern lifestyles, to reduce access to water is to reduce living standards. The goal of a modern society should be to increase the living standards of its people.

There is no real shortage of water on Earth, most of our surface is water. Water supply is ultimately an issue of energy supply to desalinate salt water.

With adequate energy there is no water supply issues in urban, coastal Australia.

The water supply issue come down to the cost of power generation, both tangible (economic) and non-tangible (environmental).

Tristan the issue should be not whether we have a finite or infinite supply of water but more to the point of should we abuse our usuage just because we can.

You are incorrect with your theories concerning water supply and population balance. If all 1st world countries developed desalinisation plants this would create more problems of sodium storage, more water usuage less oceans to cope with it. Oceans provide the ability of oxygen not trees, so if it was a free for all, our world would be stripped bare more quickly than the rate of depletion is now.

Why are people becoming so easily lured by taking each generation has to pay for the last ones mistakes. You take and what happens in 50 years time?

A couple of things come to mind here. Firstly, this old continent of ours is a very arid place. Most of the ever increasing population is concentrated in the 'green fringe' around our coastal areas. Continuing to pump more and more people into these areas is unsustainable in the long term.

Secondly, where does city water come from? It comes from streams generated in hills well outside the cities, but unlike many other countries, our rainfall is limited and we have a minimal river system, so the bigger our cities and major centers get, the less water for everybody. The Government's push to appease big business by allowing unfettered population expansion will eventually be to the detriment of all Australians.

Thirdly, I was led to believe that businesses, especially large ones, use up to 70% of available drinking water which is then flushed down the drain. Since most of this industry/business is centered in major towns and cities, maybe the "city waste" is really a reflection of poor industry standards, although through necessity, that is slowly changing.

Don't know how the subject turned to fluoridation, but I'm with Cardine on this one. My sister, mid 60's, has beautiful teeth. We grew up on a farm with tank water and plenty of milk. Myself.....teeth shot to hell by age four. Second teeth came through riddled with cavities. I couldn't eat anything cold, I couldn't chew peanuts and I wasn't allowed lollies. The difference is genetic! My sister and I had different fathers. Apparently, my sisters father also had excellent teeth.

Just for the record, I believe we should look beyond the dental issue in relation to fluoride. Shouldn't the issue be about big business disposing of it's waste into our drinking water? And if it's not, then how about the majority of people being represented by their Government? If most people don't want it, then why should they be forced to take drink medicated water? It's more about their elected representatives not doing their jobs, which is sadly becoming a fixture of Australian politics.

Value is determined by scarcity. There is no scarcity of water.

I don't think you appreciate the amount of water on Earth. It is a resource we are at no risk of depleting. It is a fully recyclable and renewable resource. The only place it could disappear to is into space and thats not happening.

There is an energy cost that will always generate scarcity and hence value of fresh water.

Why should value be artificially distorted on a resource that raises living standards? The price value and the use of water should reflect its scarcity, which is the cost of energy.

Efficiency of use is not to be disregarded, but the reality is that there is plenty more where it came from, and no scarcity exists aside from the costs of energy which should be sole determination of its value. (plus piping, desal construction, maintenance, admin etc costs)

Tristan, I don't know what planet you're living on, but on Earth the availability of both fresh water and energy are becoming increasingly scarce.

Yes, there's heaps of water in the oceans, but the energy costs of large scale desalination in environmental and economic terms are currently unsustainable - and all the available evidence suggests that this situation is going to get worse, not better.

Have you actually done any reading on this, or are you just talking through your arse?