WHOA!!! ...and we're concerned about water quality for our plants?

[Des]

Just as well we all have a sense of humour. Look on the bright side with all the drugs in your water at least least there can't be anything living in it !!
Here in Africa the water from our taps is quite often muddy the ph can be as high as 9.5 and the ec 440 !! . i think that is why we are such a health lot over the years we have built up an immunity to just about everything! But rest assured it wont be long before someone figures out a way to recover the drugs from the water and sell them back to you !!.

[goodgollymissmolly]

That's pretty true, Vanessa. I might say it somewhat differently. Water treatment concentrates on biological hazards and inorganic toxins (mainly salts of heavy metals, lead, arsenic, stuff like that).

Organic chemicals (the chemicals of carbon bonding for the novice) have never been treated well. That's why industrial wastes related to hydrocarbons have long contaminated drinking water. The Ohio River is a well known source of such water (and damn if Lexington isn't considering getting treated water from Louisville and the Ohio River). Fantastic idea!! Thanks guys.

Anyway, these drugs fall into that organic chemical category which is so poorly, if at all, treated. Unfortunately, removing these is likely to raise the cost of water a lot. Too many people on the planet, folks.

[Des]

These pollutants are not only found in our drinking water ,but also in the fish populations along our coastline . and what I find disturbing is that it is found in deap water fish like Cod which live at 40 - 100 fathoms !

[Ray]

So we have small amounts of antibiotics in the water, which can lead to resistant strains, and we wonder about the 'epidemic" of MRSA cases....

Well, I ought to sell more RO systems!

[vmax3000]

The primary concern has been for the invertebrate and fish populations, as the concentrations aren't yet enough to impact something as large as a human. But, anything bioaccumulating eventually will . We have an RO system in the kitchen for drinking, cooking. It looks like we may end up having to pay for something like that on a civic/industrial scale. The thing I don't like about RO is the constant waste stream it generates via the reject. Just concentrating the problem, it seems, if it were done for a significant population..... Oh, I feel a Debbie Downer coming on....

[Don Perusse]

Gee, I thought this was and Orchid Forum............. Who says that orchidist don't have fun. Loved the comments.

[A de Lioncourt]

Originally Posted by Dorothy

"A sex hormone was detected in San Francisco's drinking water."

I am sure it's not estrogen!

Strange, I always heard the San Franciscan males were typically on the feminine side.

Originally Posted by Dorothy

I have to remember when visiting San Fran not to drink the water ...

Or breath the air....

Originally Posted by Dorothy

I may end up growing something I just don't want ...

I can't say anything appropriate to that!

[Dorothy]

[goodgollymissmolly]

"......San Franciscan males were typically on the feminine side"

Surely you jest! We don't even think about stuff like that in the South. The preacher would excommunicate me for participating in this discussion. Wash your mouth out.

[A de Lioncourt]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

"......San Franciscan males were typically on the feminine side"

Surely you jest! We don't even think about stuff like that in the South.

My pleasure to expand your horizons
although, Kentucky's not really Northern.

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

The preacher would excommunicate me for participating in this discussion. Wash your mouth out.

My apologies, my mouth has been washed out, but my mind's still a bit dirty. I just can't seem to jam that q-tip in my ear far enough.