Reports about drugs in tap water can be frightening, but even more frightening is the fact that most treatment facilities don't test for them. There are no Environmental Protection Agency regulations concerning the presence of medications in drinking water supplies. The reason is that no one knows the "safe" level of exposure.
Of course, to you and me, it might seem that they should not be present at all. But, sadly, there are many toxins present in our waters. The drugs in tap water are just some of the latest concerns and probably not the most hazardous. If we want to avoid exposure, we have to take matters into our own hands.
Pharmaceutical companies commonly recommend that consumers flush expired or unneeded medications instead of throwing them in the trash. This prevents children, pets and other animals from accidental poisoning. But, it also prevents the abuse of medications found in a trash can.
The only problem is that this is one source of drugs in tap water. Wastewater treatment facilities can only remove a portion. Many drinking water treatment facilities do not have the necessary steps to remove the rest. So, it's basically our problem.
As with lead, cysts, chlorine, chlorine byproducts and the thousands of other contaminants that cannot be dealt with on a larger scale, medications can only be completely removed by point of use or home purifiers. If you don't have one, you should buy according to performance.
If you do have one, you should make sure that it will remove the drug traces. Many of the units are not really "purifiers. They are simply chlorine filters.
The best devices are multi-stage systems designed to remove a variety of chemical contaminants, since that's what the drugs in drugs in tap water really are. They are chemical compounds, either synthetic or naturally occurring. One drug that didn't make the AP news stories is perchlorate.
It is a very common contaminant, but facilities are not required to test for it either. Over the years numerous appeals have been made to the EPA concerning a limit for its presence. But, to date, nothing has been decided.
The compound is used to treat hyperthyroidism, but it is a naturally occurring "salt". It is also a volatile organic compound (VOC) used in rocket fuel, fireworks and airbags. It has been found in cow's milk, human breast milk and water, and even in vegetables like lettuce.
Exposure to the chemical causes dysfunction of the thyroid gland, which leads to impaired neurological development in children and metabolic disorders in adults. Unless, of course, an individual has an overactive thyroid gland, then the compound is used to treat the condition.
Everyone needs to realize that even if the EPA decides on a "safe" level of exposure for perchlorate or any of the other chemicals and drugs in tap water, the amount is determined by what would be non-toxic to a 150 pound adult. The levels may be safe for some people, but certainly not for others.
You should also realize that it is not only the waters you drink, but what you cook with and brush your teeth with that are contaminated, unless you get the right home purifier. If you do, you won't have to worry about drugs in tap water or any other type of contamination.
Laurel Tevolitz is a dedicated researcher of critical issues that affect health and well-being. Visit her water purification blog now at
http://www.safewaterpurifier.com to discover which water purification system she recommends after extensive research.
