You, M.D. works with local governments and businesses who have an interest in supplying, promoting, or selling pure water.
Tap water is easy and accessible, but is more and more frequently contaminated with industrial toxins such as lead, PFAS, pesticides, arsenic, fluoride, and a multitude of pharmaceuticals.
These chemicals and drugs get into tap water in a variety of ways. Industries dispose of their PFC-laden manufacturing waste water into rivers or it seeps into surrounding groundwater. River and groundwater is often the drinking water source of many public water works facilities. While these facilities treat the river or reservoir water to make it drinkable, current systems are not designed to remove PFAS, pharmaceuticals, or pesticides. Data shows that 94 U.S. public water systems in 27 states have been contaminated by PFAS and more are being found each year. People in these areas have been drinking much more than the amount of PFAS found to be safe by the EPA, according to its latest Health Advisory for these chemicals.
Pharmaceuticals in urine are flushed into sewage systems, ultimately making their way to wastewater facilities that treat and release the wastewater. These systems also are not designed to remove PFCs or pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the sewer sludge that is generated from standard waste water treatment becomes highly concentrated with these chemicals and this sludge is allowed to be spread onto large agricultural fields as fertilizer. The pharmaceuticals and perfluorochemicals in the sludge are then taken up by the crops and animal products that are grown or grazing on those fields, resulting in contaminated food.
Recent testing found medications in 80% of the water samples drawn from 139 streams in 30 states. These medications included antibiotics, antidepressants, blood thinners, heart medications, and hormones. Additionally, personal care products such as perfume, skin lotions and sunscreens and insect repellents are ending up in the water -- products that include phthalates, parabens, DEET and formaldehyde -- all toxic to humans and aquatic life. One study showed antidepressant medication accumulated in the brains of fish downstream from a wastewater treatment facility.
Industrial animal farms are also a major source of water contamination. Two trillion pounds of animal waste is generated each year by large-scale poultry, pig, and cattle operations. This waste is laced with the hormones and antibiotics and ends up contaminating waterways, and ultimately city water treatment facilities that can not remove them.
You, M.D. works with water systems and providers that have discovered contamination to address health and liability concerns, assess proper treatment to remove the contaminants, and seek compensation where possible.
Tap water is easy and accessible, but is more and more frequently contaminated with industrial toxins such as lead, PFAS, pesticides, arsenic, fluoride, and a multitude of pharmaceuticals.
These chemicals and drugs get into tap water in a variety of ways. Industries dispose of their PFC-laden manufacturing waste water into rivers or it seeps into surrounding groundwater. River and groundwater is often the drinking water source of many public water works facilities. While these facilities treat the river or reservoir water to make it drinkable, current systems are not designed to remove PFAS, pharmaceuticals, or pesticides. Data shows that 94 U.S. public water systems in 27 states have been contaminated by PFAS and more are being found each year. People in these areas have been drinking much more than the amount of PFAS found to be safe by the EPA, according to its latest Health Advisory for these chemicals.
Pharmaceuticals in urine are flushed into sewage systems, ultimately making their way to wastewater facilities that treat and release the wastewater. These systems also are not designed to remove PFCs or pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the sewer sludge that is generated from standard waste water treatment becomes highly concentrated with these chemicals and this sludge is allowed to be spread onto large agricultural fields as fertilizer. The pharmaceuticals and perfluorochemicals in the sludge are then taken up by the crops and animal products that are grown or grazing on those fields, resulting in contaminated food.
Recent testing found medications in 80% of the water samples drawn from 139 streams in 30 states. These medications included antibiotics, antidepressants, blood thinners, heart medications, and hormones. Additionally, personal care products such as perfume, skin lotions and sunscreens and insect repellents are ending up in the water -- products that include phthalates, parabens, DEET and formaldehyde -- all toxic to humans and aquatic life. One study showed antidepressant medication accumulated in the brains of fish downstream from a wastewater treatment facility.
Industrial animal farms are also a major source of water contamination. Two trillion pounds of animal waste is generated each year by large-scale poultry, pig, and cattle operations. This waste is laced with the hormones and antibiotics and ends up contaminating waterways, and ultimately city water treatment facilities that can not remove them.
You, M.D. works with water systems and providers that have discovered contamination to address health and liability concerns, assess proper treatment to remove the contaminants, and seek compensation where possible.