Water UK

Pharmaceuticals are a feature of modern society. We take medication to treat day-to-day minor ailments and more severe conditions; some use substances for ‘recreational’ purposes; and livestock and domesticated animals are dosed routinely to prevent pests, maximise yields or increase productivity.

There is nothing unusual about substances finding their way into the environment and reaching drinking water sources – either through direct contamination or via indirect routes such as in our wastewater. In the environment, natural processes cause some chemicals to break down over time. Water treatment processes could remove the rest – at a cost.