LACED WATER: AN ANALYSIS OF POLICIES REGARDING PHARMACEUTICALS IN DRINKING WATER

Due to the increase in pharmaceutical sales and use in the United States in recent years, there have been more occurrences of pharmaceutical traces in drinking water across the country. Although there is not enough data to correlate the increase of pharmaceutical pollution with health-related issues in humans, the effects of these chemicals have been observed within our environment. Currently, different levels of government utilize various programs and/or regulations in order to prevent these effects. However, there has not been much progress toward resolving this issue due, in part, to the continuing careless disposal of pharmaceuticals by individuals and institutions. This study compares local governmental actions in two different states that attempt to both raise awareness about the problem and address drinking water pollution by pharmaceuticals. It analyzes methods and regulations aimed at preventing pollution, along with the effectiveness of technologies utilized in current water treatment systems and those of the future in order to advocate for proper disposal of prescription drugs.