Experts Struggle to Solve the Problem of Drugs in our Drinking Water

Experts Struggle to Solve the Problem of Drugs in our Drinking Water

Recently some shocking headlines appeared on newspapers around the country: “Drugs In Our Drinking Water”!

And yes the headlines and the articles were quite disturbing.

The stories showed a laundry list of drugs in public water supplies from Manhattan to Los Angeles.

 This included everything from traces of sedatives and naproxen to anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety drugs, which were found in the water.

The source came from The Associated Press and an article detailing what’s actually in our water.

 The news reporting agency focused a spotlight on the widespread problem that there’s trace amounts of pharmaceutical drugs found in US drinking water.

But what’s so frustrating is that the experts don’t seem to know how to react to this situation. 

What consumers like me and probably you want to know is just how bad is it?

The answers ranged from a wait-and-see approach to those laced with impending doom.

Officials at The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do recognize the findings as a growing cause for concern.

And they claim to be taking it very seriously. 

Only, the government has not established any regulations for drugs in drinking water, as it has for a host of other chemicals.

One of the problems is that the EPA is only tackling the problem of how to detect the drugs in water.

So the question of evaluating the risk factors is bit far off. 

While the EPA is focused on how to detect drugs in our drinking water, other groups are pointing their fingers at the process for testing.

For instance, workers at The American Water Works Association (AWWA) say the problem does not solely reside in the water.

The trade group represents thousands of water utilities around the country.

Officials at the group are swaying more toward interpreting and understanding the data that was collected. 

One reason for their intense approach is that as the years go by technology brings new and more effective ways to find contaminants and other things in water.

In fact, in the past scientists were not able to detect low levels of substances in water.

With that in mind, the agency found no reason for a threat to the health of the public since the drugs found in US drinking water were at low levels.

In the end, we have to keep an eye on this issue and see how it will affect not only us, but the wildlife and the environment.

Until a solution is agreed upon by all the experts involved, water purification and greener living are two ways the average citizen can have safer drinking water.