Originally posted by Sauron
What I don’t understand is how thes drugs end up in the water? Are pharmaceutical companies just dumping these drugs in the water or is that so many people are on these drugs and are peeing in the water

The answer - both and more. ...The first reports started coming out in 2000, from Europe. Follow up studies have been done around the world, but receive little press.

The problem of 'drugs in the water' is global and far-reaching - virtually every drug in existence goes into reservoirs, rivers, then the ocean and back into our tapwater.

One known effect is that common infectious microbes in the water come in contact with antibiotics and anti-virals, develop resistance and mutate into "super-bugs" that can't be treated or cured...

Oooops. ...The solution is to use nano-filters to clean wastewater BEFORE it leaves the containment system and enters the waterways. But hey, it's expensive. ...and it's easy to blame bioterrorists for the problem.

Were these "traces" of drugs or actual chemically active forms of these medications?

Traces left by recycling treated water make sense... if it's in your pee then it's in your water. Actual active forms of these drugs, however, is a different matter if ingestion might actually cause a water drinker to have a physical effect from the drug.

One thing I didn't realize until working in a place where I routinely ask patients what medications they have taken is how widespread perscription drug use is. It's rare that I see someone who has taken no medications in the past month, and I'm dealing with specifically healthy people only. If they are over 40, I can almost guarantee they are taking a cholesterol lowering drug and a drug for high blood pressure. A good quarter of them are also on a medication for depression and anxiety. I'd love to see a similar study done on US tap water in metro areas.

Jeez. People in the USA can't get these drugs from the local doctor. Canada has it in the water? WOW. Please somebody tell me why there was a post about the US invading and taking over Canada because of the water??? But then if we could rid the states of all the druggies...we prolly would'nt be worried about water. The cottonmouth druggies would be gone

the water in ontario is very poluted.it has not changed for years.since walkerton it was not a spoken issue.now the world alittle more intersted in the water supply.but one problem the water supply has always been bad since the use of the automoblie 1900s.carbons that are been burn for the last 100 years have filted there way threw the system.the drugs that get flushed down the toilet dont filter threw either.they will never tell you this but hey the proof there.test your local water supply next time you will wish you did not lol flukemol.......