Are You at Risk of Drugs in our Drinking Water?

Let’s face it, the most important thing that we need for life is water. What we don’t need is extra risk from the very thing we need the most.

A recent study by the Associated Press has highlighted a risk of drugs in our drinking water. In order to better understand what these risks are to you, we need to look at the following

1. Sources of water






2. How the drugs get into the water






3. Types of drugs found






4. Long term effects of drugs






5. Your options to avoid this problem

Okay, let’s get started!

Sources of water

People get much of their water from their municipal water supply. This supply may be drawn from surface water taken from lakes or rivers. If these sources are not available, cities or local agencies may use underground sources from springs or aquifers. Rural areas may use water gathered from cisterns or locally drilled wells. All of these are potential sources for your drinking and bathing water.

Let’s not forget bottled water! This water is often drawn from the same supply as municipal water systems, with a small amount of filtering or addition of minerals. As such, it can also be a potential source for unwanted drugs.

How the drugs get into the water

The primary method that introduces drugs found in US drinking water is the passing of unused drugs into the sewer system. Literally billions of doses of over the counter and prescription medication are taken on a annual basis. The body often does not absorb or metabolize these medications, and pass through the toilet into the water treatment plants. When these plants discharge their water, the watersheds which provide the supply become contaminated.

The source of drugs in our drinking water is ever increasing. Non-prescription drug sales reached 3.7 billion, while prescription medication sales have reached 3.3 billion, according to IMS Health and the Nielsen Company.

Animal medicine is also contributing to the problem. The use of antibiotics, heart medications and diabetes in animals is almost as widespread as humans, with the value of these drugs estimated by the Animal Health Institute at over 5 billion dollars!

Types of drugs found

The types of drugs in our drinking water supplies parallel the types of medication being purchased. Pain relievers, heart medication, antibiotics, anti-convulsants, sex hormones, steroids, tranquilizers and cholesterol blockers are just a few of the many medications that have been found in water supply tests.

The widespread presence of these drugs highlights two key concerns. The first is that water treatment plants were not designed to remove these types of contaminants. The second concern is that cholesterol blockers, tranquilizers and anti-epileptic medications are resistant to current water treatment techniques. In some cases, the use of chlorine for disinfecting water may make some drugs even more toxic.

Long term effects of drugs

Studies of animal exposure to long term medications in water provide an indication of potential risks to humans. In the Associated Press article, the following research was reported:

• Male minnows living downstream of feedlots with steroid use were shown to have low levels of testosterone and reduced head size






• Male fish around the world are becoming feminized, developing features which have traditionally been found only in female fish

Studies of human cell growth, when exposed to long term medication, have shown accelerated or slowed growth depending on the medication used for the study.

Your options to avoid this problem!

A number of techniques exist for home water treatment of drugs in our drinking water. Reverse osmosis approaches can remove impurities, but this approach also removes valuable minerals and trace elements that are beneficial. This approach also results in 8-9 gallons of contaminated water for each treated gallon of water. Ultraviolet radiation has been used for disinfecting water, but does nothing to removed dissolved solids or chemicals.

A multi-stage filtration system that can remove chemicals, particulates and metals, as well as treat biological contaminants, provides the best overall approach for protecting your drinking and bathing water.

Now that you are armed with this information, it is up to you to take action! The problem of  drugs in our drinking water is likely to be around for a long time. Research the options available, and find a water purification system that works the best for you!