Your Drinking Water May Be Contaminated With Prescription Drugs

Prescription Drugs in Drinking Water
Reporter: Shannon Kantner | WILX.COM

Germs on a water fountain are no surprise, but what about drugs in the water?

"Most meds when they are taken are not completely absorbed by the body, they pass through unchanged," said Ron Melaragni, Adminstrative Director for Sparrow Pharmacy Plus. "They get into the water supply and cause pollution, even if it's minor."

In addition, there's the commonly held belief that people are supposed to flush leftover prescriptions down the toilet. Over the years that practice has taken its toll on wildlife, including fish with three eyes and two sets of reproductive organs, according to some studies.

"There is a lot of evidence that speaks to the residuals being in the receiving waters of the United States and the local community here," said Chad Gamble, Director of Public Service for the City of Lansing. "Now they're at very, very low levels, but we want to be on the front end of that. We want to be able to protect the environment."

Gamble said most waste water treatment facilities, including Lansing's, can't remove every leftover drug particle. That makes initiatives like the third annual Medication Disposal Event at the Capitol on Tuesday especially important.

"It's a source control issue, which is inviting people to take a little bit more time out of their day to dispose of their drugs when they're done using them in a safe and efficient manner," Gamble said.
This year more than 579 pounds of unwanted or expired medication was collected, which amounts to about $1 million worth.

At this point, experts say the flushing method hasn't made drinking water dangerous for humans yet. "But if this process continues, who knows what could happen," Melaragni said. "So, it's important to do it the right way, so it doesn't get in the water supply."

If you missed the Capitol's disposal event, there is a national one happening Sept. 29. There's also a new kit on the market that will soon be on pharmacy shelves for use in the home. It's just a little black plastic bag filled with a substance when mixed with warm water, neutralizes prescriptions - up to 45 pills or 6 ounces of liquid medicine can fit in it. Once it's mixed, you seal it, and throw it in the trash.

Pharmacisits also recommend using kitty litter or coffee grounds in a container with the prescriptions and dispose of them that way.

The Ingham County Sheriff's Office recently added a bin in their lobby where anyone can drop off old pills free of charge during normal business hours.

Questions About What's in Your Water - RainSoft Has Answers

RainSoft Water Facts

Maximum Contaminant Level Goals vs. Maximum Contaminant Levels

The environment has changed a lot in the last fifty years. Manufacturing and agricultural activities, along with our growing population, add an enormous amount of potentially hazardous materials to our environment. 

As a result, the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) and others have detected more than 700 different organic compounds in treated drinking-water supplies. 

To read more about water facts and contaminants go to RainSoft Water Facts.

To Request a Free In-Home Water Test visit RainSoft of Dayton Water Test.

RainSoft of Dayton

115 Westpark Rd
Centerville, OH 45459

(937) 435-9060

www.rainsoftofdayton.com

Or locate a RainSoft Dealer near you.
To read what people are saying about RainSoft, check out RainSoft Reviews.

Contaminants in Your Water and How To Keep Your Water Safe

Clean Safe Water is the True Staff of Life

By Janice Nath | Livinggreenmag.com

Push aside bread:  Water is the true “staff of life.”

Water, which carries oxygen to our body’s cells, makes up more than half of our body weight and we can’t live for more than a few days without it.  Our bodies don’t get water just from drinking water alone as any fluids we drink contain water as well as certain foods (think juicy peaches or ripe tomatoes).  Consuming pure, fresh, clean water is vital for our good health.

How can we ensure that our drinking water is safe?

In America, we have scientists and government regulators committed to detecting, observing and regulating potential contaminants in our water.  However, the toll of time can result in a system that may wear out as well as inadvertent mistakes that can happen.  When the system breaks down, we run the risk of toxic chemicals that can find their way into the ground’s surface and into our tap water.

To ensure our best health, we do need to find out if there are any contaminates in our water and what their concentration levels are and if they are contaminants that potentially pose health risks.   The United States Environmental Protection Agency, http://water.epa.gov/drink/index.cfm, is a great resource to learn more about the safety of the ground water and drinking water in your region.

Central North Pacific Ocean’s Pacific Trash Vortex, also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, hosts plastics, sludge and other debris trapped by currents.  The vulnerability of the world’s water to contamination and pollution is part of our 21s t century reality and we must all play the first line of defense in ensuring our water is clean and contaminant free.  As a working mother and a concerned San Diego citizen, here are my tips on health and drinking water safety:

• Avoid Plastic Water Bottles – Besides taking a toll on the environment by adding to our landfills, the plastic from plastic water bottles, particularly when warmed up, can leak into our drinking water.  A study published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” by Dr. X.L. Cao noted “significant migration of BPA, or bisphenol-A, especially in hot conditions.”

• Ditch the Office Water Cooler – In addition to the physical strength needed to hoist up a new water cooler bottle into the tank, there is also a major health hazard for offices that fail to regularly clean and disinfect the tank.  A Tufts University research study on water coolers found that, “organisms from each new bottle of water adhere to a cooler’s reservoir–the ‘well’ in which the bottle sits – and also to its hot and cold water spigots, accumulating over time and thereby boosting the bacterial count of any water that passes through on the way to a cup or glass.”

• Investigate Faucet Filters – If the tap water doesn’t taste appealing and there are concerns about heavy metals, chlorine or other contaminants in the water supply, water filters used in a pitcher or attached to the faucet can be a viable option.  Not every filter type eliminates every type of contaminant.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that community water systems provide customers with an annual water quality report.  These Consumer Confidence Reports provide information about the quality of the drinking water supply.  Once your review this report, you can assess what contaminants may be in play and which filter works best to address it.

The City of San Diego issues a Drinking Water Quality Report every year on July 1^st. This report, which generally arrives with your water invoice, includes important information about the water we drink.  For San Diego and other cities nationwide, you can also request a copy of your area water quality report from your water company or visit the Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov.  Invest in a testing kit and test your water both at home and in the office.  These samples can be submitted to laboratories for analysis. The safety of our drinking water should never be taken for granted and we should do everything we can to ensure our liquid “staff of life” is clean and fresh from bio-contaminants.

Read more...

The RainSoft Water Difference

RainSoft drinking water systems are a simple, cost-effective solution to providing cleaner, better tasting water right from the tap. And don't forget environmentally friendly! With home water filtration systems from RainSoft, you can get bottled-water quality water, without the bottle. Our premium drinking water systems include: 

Ultrefiner II Premium Drinking Water System - advanced home water filtration systems that deliver highly polished "ingredient water" for all kitchen uses. 

Hydrefiner Water Filtration Systems - a compressed carbon block filters out bad tastes and odors and reduces harmful contaminants.

RainSoft of Dayton

115 Westpark Rd
Centerville, OH 45459

(937) 435-9060
Fax: (937) 435-3742 
lee@miamivalleyrainsoft.com

www.rainsoftofdayton.com

Or Find Your Local RainSoft Dealer