Are You at Risk From Drugs in Tap Water in Atlanta?

Have you read about this recently? Drugs in tap water is a growing concern across the nation, and it is in the best interest of consumers to learn all that they can about this topic.

In an investigative report published by the AP, surveys and test data for water supplies in over 50 cities were reviewed to understand the extent of drugs in tap water.

In the city of Atlanta, the report showed that the painkiller acetaminophen, antibiotics sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, heart medication diltiazem, and stimulants caffeine, cotinine, and paraxanthine were identified in the water supply.

This is not the first time such findings have been published. A similar study conducted in 1999  by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found traces of caffeine, cotinine and acetaminophen in treated drinking water in the Atlanta area. Wastewater and raw water samples were examined, with 16 drugs being found in the treated wastewater and 10 in raw-water samples.

The company that supplies water to the city is the Atlanta Watershed Management Department. The Department oversees water quality in the city and provides drinking water to 1.2 million people in Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Fulton County. The department does not do routine testing for drugs in tap water.

The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority provides water for Marietta and other towns within Cobb County. Officials from that water authority confirm they do not do testing for drugs in tap water either.

The watersheds that Atlanta relies on are the Chattahoochee River. Gwinett County draws its water from Lake Lanier, and then discharges its treated wastewater into the Chattahoochee River. These discharges are upstream of the intakes used by Cobb County and the Atlanta Watershed Department.

Based on reaction to this report, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, a Georgia water protection organization, asked for further action to be taken by the Environmental Protection Agency to test for drugs in tap water.

Now that you are armed with this information, we can work to address this issue ourselves. The best action you can take is to put in a drinking water filter system in your home. The best systems can filter out chlorine, eliminate metals and organic chemicals, and remove unwanted medications. There are some great water filter systems out there, do your research and then make the selection that is best for you!