Many drugs are intended for, prescribed for, and safe for human use. Why might very low levels of them in our water be a concern to human health?
We don’t know yet the effects, if any, of long-term exposure to very low concentrations on human health. To date, no studies have shown an effect on human health associated with the findings of pharmaceuticals in our water resources. However, DEC (which protects drinking water supplies) and the NYS Department of Health (which protects actual drinking water) agree that a prudent, appropriate health-protective approach is to reduce the discharge of all chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, into our waters.
