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Friday, June 19, 2009
Water Monitoring Urged
By John Fleck
Journal Staff Writer
New water sampling in the Rio Grande Valley's irrigation ditches has found traces of pharmaceuticals, and the activist group that made the discovery called for more careful water monitoring to ensure it is not a threat.
Contaminants found include caffeine and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in over-the-counter Tylenol, as well as meprobamate, a tranquilizer. The most likely source is human waste, either from outflow from upstream sewage treatment plants or septic systems.
The levels discovered were tiny, and the group unveiling the finding said there is no evidence at this point that they pose a health threat.
"We're not trying to scare people," said Michael Jensen of Amigos Bravos during a news conference Thursday morning near Albuquerque's new Rio Grande drinking water intake. "That's the last thing we want to do."
The irrigation ditches parallel the river, carrying water to farmers' fields and then taking drainage water back to the Rio Grande. Jensen contends that the trace contaminants found in the irrigation ditches are likely to also exist in the river. Now that the Albuquerque metro area is treating and drinking that water, Jensen argued that more careful testing is needed to ensure contaminants are not making it into city taps.
Other data, including sampling by the U.S. Geological Survey, the state Environment Department and University of New Mexico researchers, shows that drugs in the Rio Grande are less of a problem than in most U.S. rivers, said Kerry Howe, a UNM water quality expert.
Sampling done for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has found no drugs upstream from the city's water system intake, said John Stomp, who manages the drinking water project.
Howe, who conducted an independent review of the new treatment plant said the technology it uses is best available for the vast majority of drugs that might be encountered.
There are no studies showing human health effects from drugs at the levels being detected, Howe noted. Jensen agreed, but said long-term risks cannot be ruled out.
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