Pharmaceuticals In Drinking Water – What’s In Your Glass?

A reader commented on my Blog Action Day 2010 post about drinking tap water, and questioned the assertion of that post, which suggests that tap water is just as good as, if not better than, bottled water.  Backing up their position that drinking tap water isn’t as healthy as bottled water, he cited a story from a USA Today article was cited about pharmaceutical contaminants in tap water.  Challenge is a good think, and I couldn’t be the author of a fitness blog without reading more, so I followed up, and decided to expand upon it, in an effort to understand the science behind this a bit more.  Taking the time to understand a subject like this requires delving into the chemistry of water and water purification methods, I’ve broken this analysis up into a series.

After all.  If we’re being exposed to this stuff, we should dig a little deeper to understand the subject.

Pharmaceuticals In Drinking Water

The story of interest was from an Associated Press exposé about tap water quality in the U.S.  Specifically, a myriad of prescription and over the counter drugs have been discovered in drinking water supplies from around the country.  At the time of writing, over 60 pharmaceuticals (or their derivatives) were found in virtually every state in the country.  Pharmaceuticals that were discovered included pain relievers, coffee derivatives, caffeine, anti-epileptics, anti-psychotics, statins, mood stabilizers, heart medications, antibiotics, and even sex hormones.

Of course, the first question is – how are they getting there?

In an ideal world, when a person takes a drug, it would be completely used by the body.  But, of course, it doesn’t work that way.  In most cases, some portion of the drug is excreted (generally in the urine).  The rest is metabolized, and even some of the metabolites are excreted.  Where do these materials go?

Straight down the drain, where they become someone else’s problem.  Toss in the fact that most people discard unused drugs by pitching them in the toilet, the widespread use of low dose pharmaceuticals in livestock, illicit drug use, topical medications and personal care products.  All of these things get washed, or flushed, down the drain in some form or fashion.

You get the picture.

If you choose to dig a little deeper, one can paint a much uglier picture.  Research by the EPA has shown these contaminants to be present in stream beds, aquatic wildlife, and estuaries.  EPA researchers have also shown that septic systems are ineffective at removing these materials, and if you think you’re in the clear by using well-water – guess again.

The 11 most commonly detected organic compounds were the following:  atenolol, atrazine, carbamazepine, estrone, gemfibrozil, meprobamate, naproxen, phenytoin, sulfamethoxazole, TCEP, and trimethoprim.

But Is It Really A Problem?

One has to wonder exactly how bad this problem is though.  The reality is that the pharmaceuticals in drinking water are being detected at the part per billion level, and in some cases, we’re talking about just parts per trillion.  To put those numbers in perspective, the Water Environment Research Foundation describes it this way:

1 part per billion = 1 drop of water in 500 barrels of water

1 part per trillion = 1 drop of water in 20 Olympic sized swimming pools

Looked at this way, the levels we’re talking about are very, very small.  Perhaps even vanishingly small.  In fact, the levels are so small the EPA had to develop new methods of reliably detecting these substances before any research could be done.  To be sure, they shouldn’t be ignored, because there appears to be no data on the impact of ultra low dose pharmaceuticals over a lifetime,  and its probably safe to say it will be a while before any conclusive research is available.  The situation is complicated by the fact that the presence, or levels, of these materials varies dramatically between regions.

What About Contaminants In Bottled Drinking Water?

Reports such as the one above has fueled the growth in the bottled water industry, but research by the National Resource Defense Council has also found contaminants in bottled water.  In a survey of 1000 different suppliers, nearly one-third of suppliers tested positive for contaminants in their products.  This is probably not surprising, since a large portion of bottled water (up to 40%) is sourced from municipal water supplies, and bottled water suppliers don’t test for these materials either.

Interestingly enough, regulations governing the quality of bottled water vs tap water are set by different governing bodies.  Tap water quality is regulated by the EPA, while standards for bottled water are set by the FDA.  Looking at these standards is somewhat interesting to compare the demands set by the two agencies.  While the EPA demands that surface sourced tap water be disinfected, and requires testing for E. Coli, Cryptospiridium, Giardia, and fecal coliform, the FDA does not make the same requirements of bottled water suppliers.  Furthermore, while EPA guidelines set minimum guidelines for water test labs, operator training, and consumer “right to know,” no such requirements exist for bottled water suppliers.

So the potential certainly exists that, depending upon where you live, you’re being exposed to very, very low levels of personal care products, their derivatives, and other pharmaceuticals in drinking water.  Drinking bottled water provides little assurance that you’ll reduce your exposure to these compounds, and depending on the source, you may even increase your odds of exposure.  Research is ongoing by the EPA, and other agencies, in an attempt to fully understand the nature of these materials, and their long-term impact on what it means to be fit and healthy.  In a subsequent post, we’ll take a look at the methods for making pure drinking water.

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