By now, you’ve probably heard of the report discussed in THIS article, which revealed that a wide array of pharmaceutical drugs have been found in our drinking water. And, while this is certainly not a pleasant revelation, I was far more surprised to find out that where our drinking water actually comes from. Consider this clipping:
How do the drugs get into the water?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.
At the very least, this explains the taste of DC tap water.
March 13, 2008
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