Trace Amounts of Pharmaceuticals Found in Southern California Water
Southern California water-quality officials have reported that small amounts of prescription drugs have been detected in sewage that is later reclaimed and consumed by the public, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts reported in November 2005 that the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole and the anti-cholesterol treatment gemfibrozil were found at moderately high levels of one part per billion in waste that had undergone treatment. Other medications -- including the antidepressant fluoxetine, the arthritis treatment diclofenac, anti-anxiety and anti-seizure drugs, estrogens and other antibiotics -- were found in parts per trillion.
According to the Times, similar findings are expected to be released by two Los Angeles County reclamation plants later this year.
Scientists say the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in water are so low that they likely would not affect human health. However, scientists "acknowledge ... that no one knows the effects of ingesting tiny doses of multiple drugs continuously over a lifetime," the Times reports. In addition, there have been some adverse effects of the prescription drugs in aquatic life.
To reduce levels of medications in water, Orange County is spending $500 million to build a reclamation plant that is expected to reduce pharmaceutical and other contaminant levels to undetectable amounts. The plant is expected to begin operating in 2007.
Los Angeles and Orange counties in March also will begin distributing cards to pharmacies advising customers not to flush medications down the toilet.
In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency likely will add some pharmaceuticals to a "new candidates list," which could prompt monitoring of water in 2008, the Times reports (Cone, Los Angeles Times, 1/30).