Prescription Drugs in Drinking Water - Learn the Sources of This Growing Health Concern

You might disagree, but hear me out on this.

Prescription drugs in drinking water are becoming more widespread. There is a growing realization by consumers, environmental groups, and water quality experts that this trend needs to be better understood.

A recent investigative report by the AP was developed after a five month review of surveys, testing data, and interviews with water suppliers and experts on water quality. Water supplies for over 50 cities were reviewed.

In the city of Las Vegas, the report showed that the anti-anxiety drug meprobamate, anti-convulsant carbamazepine, and anti-epileptic drug phenytoin were present in water that had undergone water treatment.

The primary source of water for the city comes from the Hoover Dam reservoir, Lake Mead, which is fed by the Colorado River.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority oversees water quality, provides water distribution in the Las Vegas area, as well as operating water treatment facilities.

Recent tests by the water authority have identified traces of six other medications in untreated water taken from Lake Mead: pain reliver naproxen, cholesterol drug gemfibrozil; antibiotics sulfamethoxazone and trimethoprim; beta blocker atenolol; and the anti-inflammatory diclofenac.

What do we know about the sources of prescription drugs in drinking water? People are the primary contributors. As people consume medications, the body uses up a portion of the drug, then the rest is excreted and passed into the toilet. Another source is unused or expired prescriptions or over the counter medication which is flushed down the toilet.

As sewage is processed by water treatment plants, the municipal systems focus on removing solids and disinfecting to eliminate sources of water borne diseases. Once these steps have been completed, the treated sewage is returned to lakes and rivers, to be picked up again as source water for area water authorities.

Development of reservoirs like Lake Mead have fueled the growth of nearby cities and towns, where growing populations begin the cycle described above.

Environmental groups are raising awareness of this issue, and are asking for further action to be taken to identify ways to counteract the problem of prescription drugs in drinking water. Congress has held hearings on the issues, in part to pressure other parts of the bureaucracy such as the Environmental Protection Agency to take action.

If you are like me, you probably don't want to wait until government mandates a reduction in drugs in the drinking water. Fortunately, we can work to address this issue ourselves. You can take steps now to put in a drinking water filter system in your home. Look for systems that can remove organisms like giardia and cryptosporidium. Another component would be sub micron filter elements that will remove drugs and organic chemicals. Multi stage filter systems combine the best of these features. Do your research with these features in mind, and you will be on your way to cleaner and more healthy water in your home!

Andre J. Sylvester is dedicated to researching the best methods for water purification. Visit his site at http://www.best-safe-water-purifier.com/ to find out what products he recommends based on his research.