Are Americans drinking poison?

According to an AP investigation released today, at least 41 Americans may be consuming treated drinking water that contains traces of pharmaceutical drugs, including: antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones.

From the AP: "Even users of bottled water and home filtration systems don't necessarily avoid exposure. Bottlers, some of which simply repackage tap water, do not typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals, according to the industry's main trade group. The same goes for the makers of home filtration systems."

According to the AP report, these pharmaceutical drugs are finding their way into the water ways through the disposal of human waste.

From the AP: "People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue."

While researchers and the scientific community have not collectively agreed on the effects on humans consuming seemingly contaminated water, consequences are becoming quite evident in other species, most notably in fish and wildlife directly exposed to water contaminants, the AP reports.

From the AP: "...pharmaceuticals in waterways are damaging wildlife across the nation and around the globe, research shows. Notably, male fish are being feminized, creating egg yolk proteins, a process usually restricted to females. Pharmaceuticals also are affecting sentinel species at the foundation of the pyramid of life — such as earth worms in the wild and zooplankton in the laboratory, studies show."

Further, the US is not alone in finding drug residue in its public water supply.

From the AP: "More than 100 different pharmaceuticals have been detected in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and streams throughout the world. Studies have detected pharmaceuticals in waters throughout Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe — even in Swiss lakes and the North Sea."

Read the entire report