I first saw this story on local news this morning: The AP press has just divulged a 5 month long study of our nations water supply, specifically looking for emerging contaminants or pharmaceuticals in the water supply. 24 major metropolitan areas (including SoCal, New York City, northern NJ, Detroit, Louisville, Dallas) and up to 41 million Americans are exposed to pharmaceutical drugs in their water supply. These drugs included but are not limited to acetaminophen, ibuprofen, heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizer and a tranquilizers. The extent of the risk is unknown.
In the New York water shed (not drinking water), 2 studies showed 16 pharmaceuticals or their breakdown products in levels below medical dosages. The scientific (and my own personal) concern for this finding requires more national attention as most water treatment plants do not treat for drugs and several don’t even test for the presence of any.
It’s believed these drugs are getting into the watershed from treated wastewater that is assumed ready for consumption and dumped back into natures watershed. With that even well water drinkers and bottled water fanatics are at risk as many vendors just filter and treat existing spring water.
Pharmaceuticals are specifically designed to work in and be active with your body, which could pose potential long term effects from exposure over other contaminants that don’t have such a ready uptake by the human body. There’s not a whole lot of scientific study on steady the long term effects of small dosages, however, assumptions are being made as some lab studies have showed shown residual effects of these drugs could alter human cells over time.
I’m deeply concerned about my own and our nations health as industry has continued to disregard our environment in the name of cheaper operations and more profits. Get involved and contact your congress person if you to are concerned.