An exclusive report in today’s edition of The Independent revealed that drinking water supplies in the UK are to be tested for the presence of prescription drugs amid fears that rivers are being contaminated by the growing quantity of pharmaceuticals flushed unwittingly down the drain.

The Government has commissioned scientists to test river water at intake points where it is extracted for human consumption in a pilot project to begin next year.  They will also test drinking water after it has been through the water-treatment cycle.  Testing is likely to be at selected sites on the River Thames because its water catchment area covers the most densely part of the country.

Under EU rules, drinking water in the UK is monitored for nearly 50 different contaminants, but none of these include the active ingredients of prescription drugs, such as the powerful cytotoxic drugs used to treat the growing number of cancer patients. These are thought to be potentially dangerous because they are highly toxic to dividing cells, are easily dissolved in water and are difficult to destroy by conventional water-treatment techniques.

The pilot testing has been ordered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.  Researchers are concerned the drugs may have an additive effect – where small concentrations of two or more drugs become more poisonous when absorbed together at the same time in drinking water.  It is thought to be possible that even if the doses are too low to affect adults they may pose a risk to babies in the womb because they would be potentially susceptible to the effects of anticancer substances aimed at preventing cell-division.

Commenting on the report, Jeremy Clarke, director of the Natural Hydration Council, said:  "It is hugely important to have confidence in the public drinking water supplies.  All drinking water – whether from tap or naturally-sourced water in bottles – is vital for healthy hydration." 

"It seems likely that, if at all present, the doses of these drugs will be very low.  It is also hoped that this will present no risk to adults or babies in the womb.  But the fact remains that we just don’t know this for certain.  These pharmaceuticals are not tracked."

"We applaud the much needed pilot testing initiated by Defra and the DWI, but urge them to extend that testing across the country so that everyone can be reassured there is no risk posed by these drugs."

See the full article from The Independent here.