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~~ Elk River I~4unieipal Utility Mr. Bryan C. Adams (763) 441-8099 From' AWWA Assn (303) 347-0804 12/20/07 04~04PM <br />Suggest Utility Talking Points on <br />Pharmaceutical Comcounds and Personal Care Products <br />• The water community is committed to protecting public health. Water <br />profcaaionala arc rcaearching the occurrence of pcraonal cart products <br />and pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water supplies and are paying <br />close attention to health effects research in this area. <br />• Water professionals have the technology today to detect more substances <br />- at lower levels -than ever before. As analytical methods improve, <br />pharmaceutical compounds and personal care products are being found at <br />very low levels in many of our nation's lakes, rivers and streams. <br />• The fact that a substance is detectable does not mean the substance is <br />harmful to humans. To date, research throughout the world has not <br />demonstrated an impact on human health from pharmaceuticals and <br />endocrine disrupting compounds in drinking water. <br />While these compo~inds may be detected at very low levels in source <br />waters, people regularly consume or expose themselves to products <br />containing these compounds in much higher concentrations through <br />medicines, food and beverage and other sources. The level in which they <br />are found in source waters is very small in comparison. <br />• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains an active program <br />called the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) to identify contaminants in <br />public drinking water that warrant detailed study. The CCL does not <br />currently include any personal care products or pharmaceuticals. <br />~ While research has not demonstrated human health impacts from these <br />compounds, the ongoing conversation should remind us of how precious <br />our source waters are and the need to protect there from harmful <br />substances. As a society, we should encourage policies that protect <br />source water from contaminants introduced by pesticides, gasoline or <br />industrial products. The best and most cost-effective way to ensure safe <br />water at the tap is to keep our source waters clean. <br />• The federal Office of National Drug Control Policy recommends not <br />flushing prescription drugs down the toilet unless the accompanying <br />patient information apcoifioally in3truota it is soft to do 30. <br />For more information on this and other water quality issues, contact your local <br />water utility. <br />### <br />