SAN DIEGO — The City Council here on June 10 had no choice but to accept a $3.9 million offer from the San Diego County-run First 5 Commission that would enable the city to comply with state regulations to fluoridate its drinking water, according to local reports.

Under a 1995 California law, all major water agencies are required to add fluoride to their supplies. San Diego was exempted because it didn’t have money to pay for it, and municipal code forbids using taxpayer money to cover the cost, according to a June 10 KPBS report.

County Supervisor Ron Roberts is chair of the First 5 Commission, which allocates the county’s tobacco tax money and supports children’s health intitiatives. He told KPBS, “Dental disease is the most common and preventable disease in infants and young children in San Diego county. Fluoridation is a safe and effective method in affecting dental disease.”

Fluoride opponents pressed the council to reject fluoridation of the city’s supply. Councilwoman Donna Frye suggested worried citizens lobby the state legislature, but added that the First 5 Commission’s gift left the council in a tight spot, KPBS reported.

“I don’t think we have a choice but to accept it. An offer has been made, the exemption has been removed, the law seems very clear,” Frye said.

The money will pay for the capital costs and two years of operating fluoridation. That leaves open the question of whether public money can be used to continue the program in the long term.

The mayor’s office now is charged with developing a timeline to begin the program, FOX 6 reported.