Drugs in the drinking water are miniscule

There has been a great deal of talk about prescription drugs in our drinking water. New testing techniques have made it easier to detect minute compounds in our water supplies. Some say that there is no such thing as pure water- it is only as pure as you can test.

The standard testing for water was one part per million, which is about three drops of a substance in a 55-gallon drum. Later it went to one part per billion, that is, one drop in a large gasoline tanker truck.

A very good lab can now test for impurities at one part per trillion and that is about one drop in one of our large water tanks. This is where the scientist is measuring for prescription drugs. One would have to drink an awful lot of water to be affected by any drugs in the water.

The Office of the national Drug Control policy recommends the following guidelines for the disposal of prescription drugs.

•Take unused, unneeded or expired drugs out of their containers and throw them in the trash.

•Mix drugs with any undesirable substance like cat litter or coffee grounds and put them in empty cans or sealable bags.

•Flush prescription drugs down the only if the patient information sheet instructs you to do so.

•If your community has a pharmaceutical takeback program, take advantage of it to dispose of your unneeded drugs.

Always read the printed material accompanying any medication to determine if there are any specific instructions on disposal of unused medication. FDA advises that some medications should be flushed down the toilet instead of thrown in the trash.

Please go to the website www.whitehousedrugpolice.gov for a list of medications that can be disposed by flushing down the drain and further information on proper drug disposal. Ronald Stark Oak Park

Stark is the chairperson of Triunfo Sanitation District.