Clean Water Action

Press Release

Clean Water Action Supports Monitoring, Pollution Prevention and Upgraded Treatment Technologies to Address Concerns About Pharmaceuticals In Drinking Water

Clean Water Action reacted to today's Associated Press survey of test results for pharmaceuticals in drinking water by advocating for more monitoring, pollution prevention and upgraded drinking and wastewater treatment technologies.

"The President's FY09 proposed budget cuts water monitoring and research," said Paul Schwartz, Clean Water Action National Policy Coordinator. "Federal and state government need to support not only more monitoring, but research into preventing this pollution and into the best possible treatment technologies for drinking water and sewage systems."

There are no federal or state standards or monitoring requirements for pharmaceuticals in drinking water or treated wastewater. Studies indicate that these chemicals are already harming reptiles, fish and aquatic species. Impact on human health, including reproductive function, is among the concerns that warrant increased attention to the presence of these chemicals in U.S. water supplies.

Among the solutions that Clean Water Action supports are:

• Monitoring of both raw and finished water should be expanded.
• Research is needed into treatment technology upgrades that wastewater systems and drinking water utilities can use to remove drugs from water intended for consumption or other use.
• Programs to discourage flushing of unused drugs into public wastewater systems should be promoted. Permits for industrial discharges from pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and other institutional users of these drugs need to be reviewed and strengthened.
• Streams with evidence of deformed fish possibly due to pharmaceutical pollution should be targeted for cleanup activities in order to reduce the level of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in the water.

Another important prevention avenue is a better understanding of opportunities to reformulate medicines of the most concern.

Schwartz noted that bottled water is not a solution, because it is less regulated than tap water, more expensive and is drawn largely from the same sources as public tap water supplies.

Clean Water Action Minnesota Program Coordinator Darrell Gerber said, "This is just another example of the effect that we have on drinking water without even realizing it. Safe drinking water needs to be a priority for local, state and federal government."

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Contact
Paul Schwartz 202-895-0420 ext. 105