Green Daily

A whole host of pharmaceuticals have been found in local drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, according to a recent AP investigation. Everything from antibiotics to anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones. The concentrations were found to be low, but the presence of so many different kinds of drugs still raises questions and concerns.

So how do the drugs get into the water? Well, people take the pills, pass out what they don't absorb and flush the toilet. Wastewater is treated before it is discharged and often treated again at drinking water treatment plants but most treatments do not remove all drug residues.

To see if your area was affected, you can read the full article here. But keep in mind, of the 62 major water providers contacted, the drinking water of only 28 was tested. Among those that haven't tested: Houston, Chicago, Miami, Baltimore, Phoenix, Boston, and NYC.

And don't think that switching back to bottled water is going help. Bottlers, many of which are just repackaging tap water anyway, do not typically test for pharmaceuticals. And, don't think your home filtration system is going to help either; those manufacturers don't test to see if their filters can remove such contamination. Argh.

So what can you do? Well, on the prevention front, there's not much you can do about taking the medications you need and using the bathroom. But for disposing your unused meds, don't flush them down the toilet as you may have heard. Crush them into some kitty litter and place into a sealed plastic bag (I have also heard old coffee grounds work) and put them in your regular trash.