Summary: Many pharmaceutical drugs have been found in the drinking water that Americans drink everyday. Although the conentartion of these drugs are small, scientist are worried of the long term effect it may have on humans. Recent studies have said that low levels of ramdom combinatioin pharmaceuticals have actually had an alarming effect on human cells and wildlife. Just in Philadelphia, officials have found 56 drugs in treated drinking water and 63 were found in our citys watershed. The reason for such high pharmaceuticals is partly becuause the federal government does not require any testing and hasn't set saftety limits for drugs in water.
Long term effects of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supply are just now being evaluated. Without mandatory testing and consitent standards, research will be difficult to conduct. Now is the time to start the testing of the nation's water supply to protect our future.
Quote: "We recognize it is a growing concern and we're taking it very seriously," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant adminstrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Questions:
1. Did you know that there were drugs in the water you drink?
2. Are you now worried that the water your drinking could harm you in the long run?
3. If you read the whole article, What can you do to stop drugs from entering drinking water?
Long term effects of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supply are just now being evaluated. Without mandatory testing and consitent standards, research will be difficult to conduct. Now is the time to start the testing of the nation's water supply to protect our future.
Quote: "We recognize it is a growing concern and we're taking it very seriously," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant adminstrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Questions:
1. Did you know that there were drugs in the water you drink?
2. Are you now worried that the water your drinking could harm you in the long run?
3. If you read the whole article, What can you do to stop drugs from entering drinking water?
I found this article very alarming. Now that we have to be cautious with our drinking water, it seems like nothing is safe now. That is actually very sad. What kind of a world is this where our everyday necessities are either drugged or polluted?
ReplyDelete1. I had no idea there were drugs in my water, which just goes to show how much we DON’T know about our everyday lives.
2. A little bit, yes. But I should think that they would have found a “cure” so to say by the time it would do any damage.
3. I think as a 14-year-old there is not much I individually can do, but as an environmentalist one idea might be to discover a water-treatment process that completely rids our public drinking water of the drugs.
I've always considered drinking water a reliable source of fresh water that I could count on. However, after reading this article, my thoughts on it have changed. It's appalling to me that whoever is in charge of filtering the water didn't prevent this from starting initially; furthermore, it's strange that they haven't worked on stopping it.
ReplyDeleteMy Own Questions:
1) Are you now going to be less reliable on drinking water? Why or why not?
2) If you were in charge of a water filtering plant, would this issue be at the top of your priorities?
Like Michaela, I found this article very scary and suprising. I think that something needs to be done about this, and fast. I never had an idea that there might be harmful substances in the water I drink every day.
ReplyDelete1. No, I did not
2. Yes, very
3. I have no idea