Baldwin Seeks Safer Drinking Water

Press Release

With large concentrations of pharmaceuticals and other personal care products (PPCPs) detected in the nation's drinking water supply, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin has joined Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) in sponsoring legislation to address the growing health concern.

The Water Assessment and Treatment Evaluation Research (WATER) Study Act will require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a study on the presence and source of over-the-counter and prescription drugs and personal care products such as lotions, soaps, and cosmetics as well as growth hormones and antibiotics for livestock in our nation's drinking water supply.

An investigation of 28 major metropolitan areas this year (none in Wisconsin) by the Associated Press revealed numerous pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. In Dane County, local news reports say traces of acetaminophen and hormones have been found in some water systems. The problem will only increase as prescription drugs are used more frequently.

"We need to know how pharmaceuticals enter the drinking water supply and what effects these medications and PPCPs have on humans and animals. Such information is vital to protecting public health," said Baldwin.

The WATER Study will help governmental, industrial, and scientific efforts to better understand the effects these products have on human health and determine how best to remove the PPCPs from our drinking water supplies.

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