Reply #18: That's bad enough, but what about water here at home?

[bushmeister0]

AP reports:

"A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows...In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas — from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky . . . Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed, the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public 'doesn't know how to interpret the information' and might be unduly alarmed."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080309/ap_on_re_us/pharmawater_i

How about that? People are swallowing lots of Mother's Little Helpers and its getting peed out, flushed and then they find their way back into the drinking water supply. Whoopse!

AP --

"Here are some of the key test results obtained by the AP:

_Officials in Philadelphia said testing there discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in treated drinking water, including medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems. Sixty-three pharmaceuticals or byproducts were found in the city's watersheds.

_Anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety medications were detected in a portion of the treated drinking water for 18.5 million people in Southern California."

And this one, in particular, might tend to explain of few things . . .

"The drinking water for Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas tested positive for six pharmaceuticals."

Only six?