NBU NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 10, 2008
Contact: Gretchen Reuwer, NBU Communications Manager, (830) 629-8486

NBU drinking water continues to meet highest government standards

NEW BRAUNFELS—Recent news reports regarding the detection of pharmaceuticals have highlighted a concern with regard to drinking water and the compounds which may or may not affect its quality. At issue in a recent Associated Press investigation is whether or not pharmaceuticals are being tested for in 24 major metropolitan areas and what their presence means for human health.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains an active program called the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) to identify contaminants in public drinking water that warrant detailed study. The CCL does not currently include any personal care products or pharmaceuticals. Federal and state standards and testing do not require or suggest testing for these compounds, which means that public water systems such as NBU have no guidelines for conducting tests or determining acceptable levels of their presence.

“Even though standards have not been determined to conduct meaningful tests on the levels of pharmaceuticals and personal care products at this time, NBU does test for up to 97 different contaminants and issues a Consumer Confidence Report every year to let customers know about the presence and levels of all federally regulated or monitored substances found in their drinking water,” NBU Communications Manager Gretchen Reuwer says.

The annual report also provides information on a number of secondary and unregulated contaminants and their levels in the water supply. The report is included in customers’ statements by July 1 and is also posted on the NBU web site at www.nbutexas.com. NBU’s drinking water has continuously met or exceeded all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements to qualify as a superior water system.

Researchers are studying the occurrence of personal care products and pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water supplies and are paying close attention to health effect research in this area. Advanced technology has allowed water professionals to detect more substances at lower levels than ever before. As analytical methods improve, pharmaceutical compounds and personal care products are being found at very low levels in many of our nation’s lakes, rivers and streams. However, the fact that a substance is detectable does not mean the substance is harmful to humans.

“We will be working with the EPA as they explore the issue, legitimize the research and convert it into federal law (via the Safe Water Drinking Act) to ensure that NBU continues to meet or exceed all requirements set before us,” NBU Laboratory and Pretreatment Manager Tommy Thompson says.

The American Water Works Association points out that to date, research throughout the world has not demonstrated an impact on human health from pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds in drinking water. While these compounds may be detected at very low levels in source waters, people regularly consume or expose themselves to products containing these compounds in much higher concentrations through medications, food and beverage, and other sources. The level in which they are found in source waters is very small in comparison.

While research has not demonstrated health impacts from these compounds, NBU believes that the ongoing conversation should remind all of us how precious our source waters are and the need to protect them from harmful substances. NBU customers can be proactive in keeping source water such lakes, rivers and streams as clean and free of compounds as possible. Be aware of how unused prescriptions and personal care products are being disposed of in the household to ensure that it is done in a manner that does not jeopardize water or wastewater systems. The federal Office of National Drug Control Policy recommends not flushing prescription drugs down the toilet unless the accompanying patient information specifically instructs it is safe to do so.

“As a society, we should encourage policies that protect source water from contaminants introduced by pesticides, gasoline or industrial products,” Reuwer says. “We should also recognize that consumer contribution of pharmaceuticals and personal care products to the water and wastewater system is probably the primary source of their presence. The best and most cost-effective way to ensure safe water at the tap is to keep our source waters clean.”