Email This Article    Print

Public Drinking Water Contains Traces of Drugs

Drinking water of some 41 million Americans contains traces of drugs, including antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and mood stabilizers. Although the amount of these drugs in water is extremely low, with concentrations measured in parts per trillion, this finding by the Associated Press Investigative Team may present as a shock to many.

Five-month long AP investigation, showed that the water supply of 24 major US metropolitan areas is tainted with a vast array of drugs. Reporters could not always depend on help from water department officials, as not every region tests its water for the presence of drugs, while those that do, may only test for a few specific medications. In some instances, the officials have provided negative results, which were contradicted by independent tests done at the request of the investigative team.

Reporters visited water treatment plants, evaluated data from multiple drinking water databases, interviewed 230 government officials and scientists. Here is a summary of what was found in a number of metropolitan areas:

• Washington, D.C. - a mix of six drugs
• San Francisco, CA - sex hormone
• Tucson, AZ - three drugs, including an antibiotic
• Philadelphia, PA - a whopping 56 drugs or its products of metabolism
• Northern New Jersey - Carbamazepine and a drug for the treatment of angina
• Southern California - Anti-anxiety drug and an anti-epileptic

Ingested drugs are not always completely metabolized by the human body. These substances are excreted into the sewer system. Before being released into the rivers and lakes, the first water purification takes place. However, not all impurities may be removed at this point. Water from the large reservoirs is then delivered to the water treatment plants, before being sent to the public drinking water supply. Again, some substances may not be filtered at this purification step. From there, the water and minimal concentrations of drugs once again enter the human body completing the vicious circle.

Source: Associated Press

• Do these finding surprise you? Why? Why not?
• Are these minimal concentrations of drugs, measured in parts of a trillion, something we should be concerned about?

• Mesothelioma Treatment Reaches a New Breakthrough Moment
• Jeez, Doc, Get Some Sleep!
• Medical Exam Predicts Type 2 Diabetes as Well as Genetic Testing
• Medicaid Pays Millions for Unapproved Drugs
• Where’s the Beef? All Fast Foods Based on Corn
• Is Financial Fraud Behind Dramatic Spike in Pediatric Antipsychotics?
• Will Fast-Food Ads Follow the Marlboro Man Into History?