Rx Drugs Found in U.S. Drinking Water

[oceanchild78307]

Found this info. on the news site at my Internet Providers page. Thought it was interesting and wanted to pass it along.

Rx Drugs Found in U.S. Drinking Water
You think your drinking water is safe and free from contaminants? Think again. The drinking water that comes out of the taps for at least 41 million Americans is riddled with a vast array of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, reports The Associated Press. Also found in the water are over-the-counter medicines, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and caffeine.
AP conducted a five-month inquiry and discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas, including Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia; Detroit, Michigan; Northern New Jersey; Southern California; Louisville, Kentucky; Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tucson, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada. It is rare that a water utility would reveal the results of pharmaceutical screenings--unless they were pressed to do so. Why? The public doesn't know how to interpret the information and could be unduly alarmed.
How do the drugs get in our water? It's all our fault. We take a pill. Our bodies absorb some of the medication and discard the rest in our urine, which is flushed down the toilet. That waste water is treated and then discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Some of that water is eventually cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants--and piped right back to your kitchen sink. Water treatment does not remove all drug residue. The AP investigation also indicates that the nation's watersheds--our natural supplies of water--are contaminated.
AP reports that doctors don't yet understand the long-term consequences of low level exposure to pharmaceuticals, but some studies have found scary effects on human cells and wildlife. The federal government doesn't require any testing and hasn't set safety limits for drugs in water. "We know we are being exposed to other people's drugs through our drinking water, and that can't be good," Dr. David Carpenter, who directs the Institute for Health and the Environment of the State University of New York at Albany, told AP.

[Graehstone]

Yes I saw that this morning: http://www.nysun.com/article/72602 and I am not surprised nor shocked really, sadly enough.

Here is another:
The Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/10/pharmaceuticals_found_in_us_drinking_water/)

[Buffalo Head '75]

Found this info. on the news site at my Internet Providers page. Thought it was interesting and wanted to pass it along.

Rx Drugs Found in U.S. Drinking Water
You think your drinking water is safe and free from contaminants? Think again. The drinking water that comes out of the taps for at least 41 million Americans is riddled with a vast array of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, reports The Associated Press. Also found in the water are over-the-counter medicines, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and caffeine.
AP conducted a five-month inquiry and discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas, including Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia; Detroit, Michigan; Northern New Jersey; Southern California; Louisville, Kentucky; Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tucson, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada. It is rare that a water utility would reveal the results of pharmaceutical screenings--unless they were pressed to do so. Why? The public doesn't know how to interpret the information and could be unduly alarmed.
How do the drugs get in our water? It's all our fault. We take a pill. Our bodies absorb some of the medication and discard the rest in our urine, which is flushed down the toilet. That waste water is treated and then discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Some of that water is eventually cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants--and piped right back to your kitchen sink. Water treatment does not remove all drug residue. The AP investigation also indicates that the nation's watersheds--our natural supplies of water--are contaminated.
AP reports that doctors don't yet understand the long-term consequences of low level exposure to pharmaceuticals, but some studies have found scary effects on human cells and wildlife. The federal government doesn't require any testing and hasn't set safety limits for drugs in water. "We know we are being exposed to other people's drugs through our drinking water, and that can't be good," Dr. David Carpenter, who directs the Institute for Health and the Environment of the State University of New York at Albany, told AP.
This is a good example of people just freaking out to freak out. We need to let the FDA run their testing (and hopefully an independent group also will run testing to compare results) and see if this is even harmful. This story already has some bit of misinformation when it lists anti-convulsants and then mood stabilizers. These are the same drugs. But the journalist uses them seperately to add to the list of drugs to make it seem more imposing.

My guess is that the limits of drugs in the water aren't harmful. Is it good that they are there. No. But probably because fish and smaller creatures will suffer. My guess is that 90% of humans (at least adults) will be fine.

[NCW_Woodnymph]

I don't really care if it has ill effects or not. I choose not to put those things in my body and it bothers me that they are in the water.

As far as the FDA goes they are in so many peoples pockets that it's frightening. I was just reading about stevia. It's an herb that is 30 times sweeter than sugar but it regulates your blood sugar and fights dental decay and a bunch of other good stuff. Tea companies use to use it to naturally sweeten their tea until the FDA suddenly baned it and raided their warehouses. Coinsidentally right before artificial sweeteners came on the market. You should look it up. It's really infuriating. :D

:hippie:

[Buffalo Head '75]

I am not one to sing the praises of the FDA. That is why I said hopefully an independent study will also do a study.

The FDA is the government agency so rather than just saying they suck (they very well may) it would be more productive to put pressure on your Senators to bring your concerns to the Senate floor.

You can try for your congressperson as well but generally speaking, Senators are easy to reach.

My point was that people probably will not be hurt by this. Am I happy about it? no. Am I in panic mode? also, no.

:)

[LIBRA]

I don't really care if it has ill effects or not. I choose not to put those things in my body and it bothers me that they are in the water.

As far as the FDA goes they are in so many peoples pockets that it's frightening. I was just reading about stevia. It's an herb that is 30 times sweeter than sugar but it regulates your blood sugar and fights dental decay and a bunch of other good stuff. Tea companies use to use it to naturally sweeten their tea until the FDA suddenly baned it and raided their warehouses. Coinsidentally right before artificial sweeteners came on the market. You should look it up. It's really infuriating. :D

:hippie:
WHAT??? why? that is ridiculous.

And I read that story about the water too, look up Chem trails, theres more then drugs in our water. My friend Holly has an ozone thing that she uses to clean her water, makes the water taste like crap,imp but she will not drink or eat anything untill its been treated with her ozone filter deal.

[NCW_Woodnymph]

Yeah, Buff. I'm better a bitching than contacting politicians. :D I'll have to get better informed. Stevia is still baned unless labeled as a supplement. Maybe I'll start a write in campain. :D

We get all of our drinking water in 5 gallon jugs filtered through reverse osmosis. I don't know if that would take out the drugs or not but it taste much better than tap and doesn't have the chlorine. I think it's pretty green as well since the bottles get reused. :)

:hippie:

[Buffalo Head '75]

reverse osmosis to the best of my knowledge (which is scientifically limited) is not capable of removing the drugs.

But then again, I am not 100% sold that the drugs are there. I think the trace amounts of drug remnants that have been processed by human bodies is what is there... and that is a big difference.

For instance, and this will get gross. If someone was to drink someone else's urine. And the pee-er had been on penicillin. Would that cure strep throat in the drinker? doubtful. There just isn't enough concentration.

Now if 100 people all taking penicillin pee'd in a cup and a person drinking strep throat drank this would it cure the strep throat? doubtful.

so take it to an even more extreme.

The whole city of Pittsburgh is taking penicillin. They ALL pee into a lake. Someone goes to the lake and drinks the water, are they cured? Do they get sick? doubtful.

find your reps and sens. contact them often.

I got excellent responses from even out of state Senators when I pressed them in regards to the vote on the Kennedy's mental health bill.