The Kalona Water Department has been recognized for maintaining an optimal amount of fluoride in the city’s drinking water for 50 years. Kalona was one of nine communities in Iowa to receive a certificate of appreciation by the American Dental Association, Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control, public water fluoridation was named one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. The CDC also states that having fluoride in drinking water can prevent tooth decay in children and adults by 25%.