Reprinted Articles

Reports of pharmaceuticals in water supply samples were carried by every major new organization earlier this month. Along with spin-offs of that covered how they got there and what the consequences might be to public health.

The one thing that none of the reports mentioned was what individuals could do to remove the threat. They talked about how sewage treatment facilities could take out nearly all of the traces by using reverse osmosis. They mentioned it was an expensive step that few plants choose to use.

They noted that improvements at drinking water treatment facilities could reduce the level of pharmaceuticals in the water supply. They even talked to many congressmen and the EPA about what should be done.

Everyone showed concern, except some callous representatives from major providers. They simply said the public didn’t need to know, because they wouldn’t understand and might overreact to the news.

But, otherwise, everyone agreed that action should be taken. The congressman said they would hold a hearing concerning the topic. The Environmental Protection Agency said they knew that it was a “major concern”.

No one bothered to explain that people could protect their families, if they chose, too. We have the technology and in the home, it is relatively cheap to use. It simply requires a sub-micron particle filter, multi-media blocks, and an activated carbon filter.

Some of us have known about pharmaceuticals in water supply systems for decades. One of the most common is estradiol, used in birth control pills. Only a bit of the hormone is absorbed by the body. The rest is ejected along with other waste products and flushed down the drain.

From there, it goes to a water treatment facility. They do the minimum filtration required by law and then dump the water into a river. Researchers have found numerous fish downstream from these facilities with mutations.

Some had both female and male sex organs. Some had small heads. Others were infertile. It was learned that all of those mutations were caused by exposure to estradiol. So, what can the hormones and other pharmaceuticals found in water supply samples do to humans?

As usual, the greatest risk is to babies that are still developing. Scientists have shown that some of the combinations slow down the growth of human cells. Other combinations, such as the hormones increase the growth of cancerous cells.

It is interesting to note that some of the common contaminants present in tap water cause cancer. So, now, if a person doesn’t have a home filtration device, not only does he have an increases risk of cancer, but if he has a tumor, it will grow faster.

None of this is required. We can remove the chlorine that tastes bad, the chemicals that cause cancer, drugs that threaten our health, the toxic metal lead and all of the other contaminants commonly found in tap-water. We just need to buy an inexpensive device and install on the faucets of our home.

That’s what I’m trying to let people know. It’s something that reporters never seem to mention. They attract you with scary headlines about pharmaceuticals in water supply samples, then tell you there’s not much of a “threat” and then leave you with no solution. Now, you know what to do.

Tags: Nutrition