When it comes to adding fluoride to its water supply, the City of Niles is doing things right.

On Thursday, the Michigan Department of Community Health announced that the City of Niles had been awarded a 2013 Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of optimally fluoridated water throughout 2013.

A total of 2,184 public water systems in 33 states received these awards, including 95 in Michigan.

Jeff Dunlap, city utilities manager, said the city pumps fluoride into the water system at several wells and the water filtration plant. The water is checked daily for optimal levels of fluoride and other chemicals to make sure requirements are being met.

“Our levels are checked frequently so we can make adjustments as we need to,” said Dunlap, adding that the city received the award last year as well.

Community water fluoridation has been recognized by the CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century.

Currently nearly three-quarters (74.6 percent) — or 210 million people — served by community water systems have access to optimally fluoridated tap water.

CDC recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective and inexpensive method of preventing decay.

In fact, every $1 invested in fluoridation saves at least $38 in costs for dental treatment.

“Michigan consistently exceeds the CDC recommendations for community water supplies by having 90 percent of our population on community water systems accessing fluoridation water. These awards demonstrate the commitment to quality by these community water systems. Water fluoridation benefits all residents of a community and it has demonstrated its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay throughout one’s lifetime,” said Christine Farrell, Oral Health Program director of Michigan.