Water, Water Everywhere... But Not A Drop To Drink...

It would seem that it would be in the national interest for the federal government to not only oversee and regulate -- or at least set minimum standards -- the amounts of foreign substances in drinking water. And they do, for a few things. But not pharmaceuticals.

But, you say, there shouldn't be any drugs in my drinking water, not unless you've mixed them in the tapwater yourself. You might say that. You might expect that. Just don't be too sure about it.

The Associated Press has conducted a probe of drinking water in various cities and found reports of trace amounts of drugs in 25 major metropolitan areas in the United States. Only Albuquerque, N. M., Austin, Texas, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, reported that they had negative results from testing for drugs. Of 52 municipalities with populations numbering around 25,000 contacted by AP throughout the U.S., only one said that they had even screened for drugs in their water. Even in Canada, a study in Ontario found nine different drugs in the water of 20 treatment facilities.

Imagine what the water supply is like in other parts of the world...

So what is in the water? Well, name it. Pain medication, ibuprofen, aceteminophen, depression medication, hormones, asthma medications, dietary enhancers, diet pills, epilepsy medication, medicine for mental illness, heart problems, cholesterol, ad infinitum.

How could this have happened? Think of everything stored in every medicine cabinet in your family. Think about all the prescription medicine that's flushed down the toilet, outdated and extant. Think about all the drugs taken by people and discharged through various body functions. Think about these things as occurring in instances numbering in the hundreds and thousands and millions on a daily basis for years. Now, think about how difficult it might be to eliminate all the drugs in the water. Daunting, to say the least...

So, if it is just trace amounts, what is the problem? Well, no one seems to know the cumulative effect on the human population of long-term continued exposure to such tainted water. And, given the side effects and aftereffects, not to mention the actual intended effects, of many of these drugs on unsuspecting people who don't need, don't want, or may be allergic to or could die from exposure to them, well... the potential for problems is astronomical.

The question now is: What is going to be done about it? What can be done about it? What can the governments of nations and separate municipalities do to protect the populace against the possibility of harm? What can individuals do in the interim to protect themselves, their families?

With all the harmful microbes and water-borne pathogens that seem to creep into our water supplies by various means, potentially harmful or toxic levels of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water coming from the kitchen tap should not be something the average person should have to worry about...