drugs in your tap or drinking water
By winterose
@winterose (39887)
Canada
March 10, 2008 11:25am CST
I just saw on the news that our tap water has traces of drugs, such as birth control pills, narcotics, pian relievers etc,
the reason being that the human body does not absorb all the drugs and then you go to the bathroom and pee it out. That goes down the sewer and into the rivers. The filtration systems that take the water from the reservoirs for use to drink from the tap do not screen for drugs so we drink these traces.
They have reported this problem in 14 american cities so far, big cities like chicago, washington, I didn'[t get a chance to copy down the other ones,
they have noticed that fish have been affected by these trace drugs. Male fish are being born with female parts and they cannot reproduce.
The the experts say this is not a problem with humans, it is still scary, drinking stuff that you don't even know what you are drinking and what it could do to you years from now.
My mother has a water filtration system in her home, she has not trusted tap water for over 30 years.
What do you think?
Do you have a filtration system?
3 people like this
14 responses
@thedogshrink (1266)
• United States
11 Mar 08
If you read the entire, very long, article at http://roadrunner.com, they say that it is most likely in well water, and bottled water, as they also don't test for the pharmaceuticals, and the one purification process that gets rid of all pharmaceuticals is reverse osmosis, which is very, very expensive for mass production AND leaves a couple of gallons of polluted water for every 1 gallon of purified water it produces. Wow! It sounds like there is no way to get away from it. Hopefully this news report will spur some of the home filtering companies to come up with a way to filter it out.
The web page, above, just has a very pale grey link that says next page, so you could think you finished the article if you don't look for that. It's very long, but worth the time.
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I live in Georgia and Atlanta was one of those cities. I am not effected by it because I live in a different city with a separate water source than Atlanta but, that did freak me out. I don't drink tap water. I drink bottled water. My hubby drinks the water from our fridge which is filtered.
But, I cook with our tap water. I have to wonder how much of these impurities are boiled out. And, I did used to live in Atlanta for almost 3 years. So, I wonder what kinds of effects we may have from back then.
This world is a scary place to live. But, I believe that you could do everything in your power to protect yourself from the known threats and still miss so many unknown threats. We all have to die someday and, most of us are not going to die from natural causes, unfortunately. I chose to live my life and enjoy enjoyment. I will let fate trace my steps the rest of the way.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
10 Mar 08
I agree, we can do everything in our power to keep healthy but we don't know what the government and other people are doing that is affecting us.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
15 Mar 08
I was floored by the news when I heard that.
I bet the bottled water companies are getting alot more business now then ever it seems if it isn't one thing it is another.
Nope I don't have a water filtration system anymore. I seriously need to be getting another one though because no telling what we will be drinking net in out water. I will be getting one as soon as I am able to afford it. And no wonder the kids are having such a hard time and have all these medical things wrong with them and maybe it is a reason for miscarriages and birth defects. Never know. I think they are telling us it won't hurt us because they probably know that it would cause a uproar and possibly a riot and some lawsuits. I know they said that it was in Ky which is where I live. and a few other places. My grandmother always had a water filtration system hers was a huge one that goes under the sink and into the basement. I would be happy with a Brita or a Pur right now. Well I am hoping to hear further news on this to see what the outcome will be.
I bet the bottled water companies are getting alot more business now then ever it seems if it isn't one thing it is another. Nope I don't have a water filtration system anymore. I seriously need to be getting another one though because no telling what we will be drinking net in out water. I will be getting one as soon as I am able to afford it. And no wonder the kids are having such a hard time and have all these medical things wrong with them and maybe it is a reason for miscarriages and birth defects. Never know. I think they are telling us it won't hurt us because they probably know that it would cause a uproar and possibly a riot and some lawsuits. I know they said that it was in Ky which is where I live. and a few other places. My grandmother always had a water filtration system hers was a huge one that goes under the sink and into the basement. I would be happy with a Brita or a Pur right now. Well I am hoping to hear further news on this to see what the outcome will be.1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
10 Mar 08
My question would be whether or not the home filtration systems take these things out. If they do, I predict a big upsurge in the sale of home water purification systems. My question for you is is your mom"s system a reverse osmosis system? Ihave heard those are the best. I am no expert.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
10 Mar 08
actually I do not know, I don't live with her and I haven't asked her but I will.
@catjane (1036)
• United States
11 Mar 08
Yes, I heard that the other day. I do have a Brita water filtration system. They said you would have to drink 20,000 gallons of the water in order to be affected by that, but still....ewwwwwww. I was looking at a water cooler my nieghbor bought the other day and was thinking of maybe getting one too. They are quite affordable.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
11 Mar 08
Yup, I saw that too. Pretty scary, isn't it?
I am not sure how things are in Singapore. Supposedly over here, drinking water from the tap is supposed to be very safe for drinking.
Regardless, I boil my water before drinking too. My boiler has a filter inbuilt but I do not use it - reason being when I pour "raw" water in each time, it must go through the filter and by the very nature of filter, I have to stand there and take forever to pour liters of water through the filter.
Also, I will need to change the filter every few months and this means money and time wasted to get the replacement filter which is not easily available except at their out of the way shop.
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
11 Mar 08
we dont drink tap water anymore in our home. though we do not have filtration systems, we buy our drinking water, so i believe tap water is not very clean at our place too and there are many water refilling stations all over the city to choose from :)
1 person likes this
@aretha (2538)
• United States
11 Mar 08
that is very scaring to think i have 3 kids that have drank it. i normally buy bottled water but i am not so sure thats any better it just tastes better.
we don't have a filtration system because they cost to much at once and its easier for us to buy a .99 jug of water. we also have a spring up town that we can go to and get free water.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I only lived where we had town water once...and a few years after I moved my nephew got horribly sick from drinking that water!
But I can't imagine well water is much better. The only difference is (assuming your own family are the only ones on the property) the traces of whatever will be from things your family already takes. Not that that's much consolation considering a mother's birth control could be in her son's drinking water or Dad's viagra in the d aughter's water...
1 person likes this
@kaysue4 (951)
• United States
10 Mar 08
These are times when I am thankful that I have a good, deep well for my water. I don't have to worry about what is getting into the city drinking water.
Don't forget about when people have not taken thier meds or they expire and they flush them down the toilet because that is what they are told to do so no one goes through your trash to get them out.
1 person likes this
@thedogshrink (1266)
• United States
11 Mar 08
We drink Dasani a lot, which I didn't realize but just read is purified by reverse osmosis. However, that makes me feel encouraged (because our main source of drinking water is not tainted) and upset at the same time because I had no idea that reverse osmosis causes so much pollution itself! Part of the reason I started drinking Dasani instead of spring water was because they said it is not good for the environment for us to drink so much spring water, which is not renewable.
1 person likes this
@idaantipolo (472)
• Philippines
11 Mar 08
Here in the Philippines, our water system is a problem, too...maybe just like your county's. That's why we already resorted to buying mineral water in 5gallon containers enough for out needs in about 3 days, which costs us about 1dollar. Not bad, considering the quality of water we get from tap water.
@chpro1211 (31)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I also saw the article, it was many major cities. Only one city is too much. We have enough problems, and then we have to drink the left over illnesses of others. I think people should buy a Brita, or call Ozarka, or Culligan because next time it might be worse. We have to have water, whether in bottle or from the faucet, so I think it is time for water inspectors, if they some we need more. Randomly testing every month or twice a month. This Is Our Life!!
1 person likes this
