More types of water pollution
Drugs in our water system
How bad & what you to do
One of the more alarming types of water pollution follows. A purely 21st century problem is now plaguing our water supply system. Drugs in our water system.
This information on one of the causes of water pollution concerns nations in the “Developed World.” We are flushing numerous drugs down their toilets. Include antibiotics, birth control pills & chemicals from perfumes, shampoos etc. These chemicals are not filtered by average wastewater treatment plants. These same chemicals then flow into rivers & lakes. For example, studies on the tap water in Berlin have shown disturbing levels of many chemicals. For example, cholesterol lowering drugs were found in the water system. It is most certain that the same results would accompany studies on the water of other developed countries where pharmaceuticals are the norm. As for the United States, Jane Houlihan of the Environmental Working Group “..millions of Americans are also drinking low-level mixtures of pharmaceuticals with every glass of water…The health effect of this cocktail of chemicals and drugs hasn't been studied, but we are concerned about risks for infants and others who are vulnerable.” The chemicals in the disposed drugs contaminate drinking water supplies. While their bodies absorb some of the medication, the rest of it is flushed down the toilet. Very many types of water pollution cannot be dealt with by our drinking water treatment plants. They are not designed to remove some residues including pharmaceuticals. Researchers uncovered data showing these same chemicals in treated tap water and water supplies in 24 major metropolitan areas around the US. The drugs detected in our water system are an A - Z cocktail of typical medications taken by millions of citizens. These pharmaceuticals include antibiotics, sex hormones, and drugs used to treat epilepsy and depression. The U. S. Geological Survey similarly found numerous pharmaceuticals in the water. Heart medications, anti-depressants, anti-epileptics, hormones, antibiotics, pain relievers, vitamins & caffeine have all been found in the water. These drugs are not incorporated by the human body and so pass unchanged into the water. This pharmaceutical contamination effects the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, according to a 5-month investigation by the Associated Press National Investigation Team.
Effects of drugs in water supply
There is no way to know the effects of drinking low levels of drugs over a long period of time.Even planning research studying the problem would be fraught with problems & cost an incredible amount of money. Anything from the worst possible scenario of slow poisoning to a possible accommodation to taking them in to everything in between is possible. We just don’t know. But surely, it is wise to try to protect vulnerable populations from this problem including the sick, elderly & infants.
What to do about drugs in water supply
It seems obvious that measures advanced by self-help health groups could help out here. Better yet would be some sort of massive governmental intervention regarding drugs in the water system but that isn’t on the horizon. Here are two possible solutions to these types of water pollution. 1)Try to go natural when it comes to medication. The use of herbal remedies has boomed in recent decades. Get knowledgeable about using natural herbs for numerous health problems. LINK Using herbal remedies would help safeguard the environment as fewer drugs would end up in the water system. Also, it would cut back on the level of chemicals we personally ingest. 2)Also, purchasing a high quality water filter would drastically reduce the level of contaminants you ingest including the pharmaceuticals in the water system.

If you liked our page on types of water pollution & want to get our helpful info every month, subscribe to our free monthly newsletter: HEALTHY WORLD DIGESTYou'll receive anywhere from 5 - 10 healthy “nuggets” of information to get you feeling & looking your best. Just fill in our brief eZine subscription form & start to take charge of your life easily, today, right now. We promise.
To go from info on types of water pollution to home click here
|