So many Americans rely on pharmaceuticals to stay healthy or to fight diseases, in fact a Mayo Clinic study stated that nearly seventy percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug. We are fortunate enough to live in a country where research and development of new lifesaving medications are second to none. That being said however, the more medications Americans take, the more they are beginning to show up in our water supply. From over the counter medications to controlled substances, minute traces of these compounds can be found in much of our drinking water.
According to the World Health Organization, pharmaceuticals can be introduced into water sources through sewage; the excreta of individuals who took them or from uncontrolled drug disposal such as flushing unused drugs down the toilets. They also said that “pharmaceuticals may be released into water sources in the effluents from poorly controlled manufacturing or production facilities.” So what does that mean for us? Are we getting drugged from our drinking water?
While many health officials have stated that the levels are too low to pose a significant risk to humans, they have already begun to affect aquatic life; even small amounts of estrogen in water have caused male fish to develop eggs. One study tested for 56 different medications in samples from 50 large size wastewater treatment plants nationwide and found that more than half of the samples tested positive with at least 25 of the drugs tested. Do you really want to be drinking this cocktail of medications on a daily basis?
There are currently no state or federal regulations in place which require wastewater plants or drinking water plants to monitor pharmaceutical compounds. This begs the question “Who knows how many medications you are ingesting without even knowing it?” Without a water treatment system or drinking water system it could be quite a cocktail! Doesn’t it make sense to protect you and your family from unnecessary drugs? Give us a call and we can discuss with you what options are available to ensure you and your family are drinking the cleanest and safest water possible.
