Pharmaceuticals in Water Supply Systems: 7 Facts You Need to Know

I’m shocked! In recent weeks I’ve been on a quest to learn about what exactly is in my drinking water. I had already read that the Ralph Nader Institute had issued a report stating, “U.S. drinking water contains more than 2,100 toxic chemicals that can cause cancer," but I had no idea that pharmaceuticals in water supply systems were a part of those chemicals.

Can you believe it? With all the other concerns about the quality of our drinking water, now we have to worry about the presence of prescription drugs. Because it is important to remain informed about these matters that impact us and our families, I’d like to share 7 facts about pharmaceuticals in water supply systems that you need to know.

1. Approximately 10% of our drinking water has been used before. Our planet has one, finite supply of water which is continuously recycled and reused. This means that ANY substance, including drugs, given to humans and animals, passes through the body and winds up in this recycled water. Ultimately, they make it into our drinking water.

2. The presence of pharmaceuticals in water supply systems has already been proven. A 10-week, independent science project conducted by Ashley Mulroy, a high school student from West Virginia, turned up traces of vancomycin, tetracylcline and penicillin in water samples she took from various sites of the Ohio River.

Her investigation was then expanded to test tap water samples from three towns in her local vicinity, as well as, the drinking fountain at her school. Surprisingly, the same three antibiotics showed up in the test samples. Ashley’s award winning science project caught the attention of numerous U.S. scientists.

3. The National Geological Survey, as well as, the EPA have conducted studies that also detected pharmaceuticals in water. Traces of drugs such as anti-depressants, antibiotics, contraceptive drugs and caffeine were detected in numerous water samples taken across the country.

4. As far back as 2000, a news release appearing in USA Today reported that, “experts fear that even low levels of antibiotics fouling the nations water supply may help create super-bugs: micro organisms that have evolved to survive an antibiotic's lethal assault.”

If medical science is unable to combat these super-bugs, then many people could be at risk of losing their lives.

5. Because the study of pharmaceuticals in water is a relatively new endeavor, there isn’t enough information available on just what kind of an effect we can expect from long-term consumption of low levels of these drugs. Common sense dictates that it can’t be good.

6. Currently, our local municipal water systems are not equipped to take these drugs out of our water. The same is true for the removal of synthetic chemicals.

7. There are perfectly good water purification methods available that will do the job of cleaning up this contaminated water.

I don’t know a thing about you, but if you’re anything like me, then waiting around to get a definitive answer about the effects of drinking this contaminated water is not an option. Especially when we can do something about it right now.

In that regard, you may be wondering, ”does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water?” It all depends on the size of the molecules that make up the drug. Substances that have a molecular structure that is larger than water are removed by the permeable membrane used in the reverse osmosis process.

Pharmaceuticals are typically made from synthetic chemicals, which have a molecular structure that is smaller than that of water. Because of this, the permeable membrane is unable to filter them out and they make it into the water that you drink, cook and bathe.

But to be fair, the question, “does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water?” can be answered “yes,” if you supplement the system with a carbon filter. However, this adds an additional cost to an already expensive water filtration system.

If all of this information has you worried, I’m happy to tell you that the news isn’t all bad. If you do some simple research, you will find, like I did, that there are many quality home water filtration systems that can give you the peace of mind of knowing that pharmaceuticals in water supply systems are being removed.

Not only are these systems capable of filtering synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), they are affordable, easy to install and convenient to maintain.

And if you want to be extra sure, I suggest looking for one that is certified for the reduction of VOCs and THMs.

Pharmaceuticals in water supply systems is an issue we should all be concerned with. It’s good to know that we have options when it comes to ensuring the safety of our water.