According to the CDC, for the years 1999-2002, about 45% of the population was taking at least one prescription drug. According to recent news reports, all of us may be partaking in these drugs whether we have a prescription or not. When we take a drug, some of it gets absorbed by our bodies and another part of it gets excreted and that is why antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones can be found in our water supply.
What does this mean to those of us who need to drink water to survive? Ultimately, we don’t know. Being an informed citizen is a great place to start. We can’t begin working on a solution if we don’t know what the problem is and our elected officials need to know we are concerned. The Environmental Working Group has an in-depth report on drinking water (among other excellent resources) where you can check out what’s in your local drinking water and what you can do about it.
Where to start if you want to show your concern? Contact your elected representatives! Let them know you have read about pharmaceuticals in our water supply and want to know what they are doing to protect public health.
Every voice matters
When we combine our efforts we can make change happen!