A Cocktail of Drugs in a Glass of Water

An Ontario survey estimates that the province wastes over $40 million in medications each year

During the past year, headlines about “drugs in the water” have alerted the public to an unsettling fact: our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater contain trace amounts of pharmaceutical drugs that can enter our drinking water. The growing list includes plenty one would rather not down in a glass of water on a hot day: antibiotics and painkillers, hormones and tranquilizers, drugs to treat blood cholesterol, epilepsy and cancer, musk fragrances, and phthalates, a family of chemicals found in cosmetics, perfumes and hair products.