Following the impacts of Hurricane Katrina, it became apparent that even with the extraordinary efforts of utilities, water associations, and state regulatory agencies, the demand for resources and knowing where those resources were available overwhelmed the ability to effectively coordinate the initial response.
Realizing that utilities needed a different approach, the following leaders in the water community and state agencies have joined together to create the Illinois Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network or ILWARN.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois Rural Water Association
Illinois Water Environment Association
Illinois Department of Public Health
Illinois Section AWWA
How to Join ILWARN
If your utility hasn't filled out the membership application....
1 - Click on membership application to register your utility as a member and you will receive a confirming email.
2 - After confirming your email, return to ILWARN, login and complete your full utility profile.
3 - Have your Mutual Aid Agreement signed either online or via paper copy. Submit paper copy to ILWARN, 545 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174.
4 - Download the tutorial videos and attend local training provided by ILWARN on activation procedures.
For more information please contact info@ILWARN.org.
About ILWARN - PDF presentation on ILWARN overview
Based on three other models, CalWARN, FlaWARN and TxWARN, ILWARN is designed to provide a utility-to-utility response during an emergency.
Our mission is to support and promote statewide emergency preparedness, disaster response, and mutual assistance matters for public and private water and wastewater utilities for natural and man-made events.
The ILWARN Web site does this by providing its members with emergency planning, response, and recovery information before, during, and after an emergency. As the nationwide WARN system expands, it will become easier to provide mutual aid to other states as needed.
Through the ILWARN Web site, a member can request emergency equipment (pumps, generators, chlorinators, evacuators, etc.) and trained personnel (eg. treatment plant operators) that they may need in an emergency.
The ILWARN program provides its member utilities with:
* A standard omnibus mutual assistance agreement and process for sharing emergency resources among members statewide.
* The resources to respond and recover more quickly from a disaster.
* A mutual assistance program consistent with other statewide mutual aid programs.
* A forum for developing and maintaining emergency contacts and relationships.
* New ideas from lessons learned in disasters.
ILWARN Benefits
* No cost to become a member
* Increased planning and coordination
* Enhance access to specialized resources
* A single agreement provides access to all member utilities statewide
* Provides access to resources during an emergency without precontractual limitations or retainer fees
* Expedites arrival of aid
* Signatories have a pre-established relationship under which they are able to share resources during an emergency at the discretion of each participating agency
* Is consistent with the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
* Provides a list of emergency contacts and phone numbers
* Reduces administrative conflicts
* Agreement contains indemnification and workers’ compensation provisions to protect participating utilities, and provides for reimbursement of costs, as needed
* Increases hope that recovery will come quickly
There are two sides to this Web site. The public side is open to anyone to view. This side gives you basic information about ILWARN and how to join.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Friday, December 19, 2008
Kane County Water Association Taste Test Contest
Yesterday marked the annual Kane County Water Association Taste Test Contest. It was my first time attending their taste test competition as I was one of the judges alongside Ray Stevens aka Ramblin Ray from WUSN, US99 radio personality and Mike Danahey, reporter with the Courier News.
The meeting was a very good time as Mark Donnelly, Vice President of the Kane County Water Association started things off with the agenda and then led into the taste test, a great lunch followed by raffling off a number of door prizes.
Thanks KCWA for putting on a great Holiday meeting and congratulations to the City of Aurora for taking home the winnings in the taste test competition!
Lisa Jordan
Education Coordinator
Illinois Section AWWA
The meeting was a very good time as Mark Donnelly, Vice President of the Kane County Water Association started things off with the agenda and then led into the taste test, a great lunch followed by raffling off a number of door prizes.
Thanks KCWA for putting on a great Holiday meeting and congratulations to the City of Aurora for taking home the winnings in the taste test competition!
Lisa Jordan
Education Coordinator
Illinois Section AWWA
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
2009 Joint Water Conference
Well booths are starting to sell out. As of today we have about 20 booths left. This is one of the best opportunities to get in front of your target market. Of course, if you just sit in the your booth and read the paper or play sodoku, you won't get much out this show or any show. Exhibitors need to be engaging and interesting. You need to show that you are interested in what your potential client needs are. You can't sell them something you don't yet know they want. Find out! Find out about them and what they are planning. How would they like to be contacted? Do they want you to call them, email them, fax them, take them to lunch or twitter them! Yes - you may not know what twittering is but soon everyone will be tweeting!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Water quality and the levels of pharmaceuticals in water
Testimony for Illinois Senate Public Health Committee
Subject - Water quality and the levels of pharmaceuticals in water
September 9, 2008
16-503 Thompson Center
Chicago
Good morning. My name is Bill Soucie. I am a chemist and water quality laboratory supervisor at the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency in Lake Bluff. I am also an elected Trustee for the Illinois Section of the American Water Works Association which I represent today. Founded in 1909, the Illinois Section of the AWWA has over 2,250 members representing 1770 public water supplies.1 Our objective is the advancement and dissemination of knowledge concerning water works, and the promotion of public health, safety, and welfare. That is why I am here today.
The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water has been the subject of research over the past 38 years.2,3,4 During this time span, waste water has been identified as a major contributor of these compounds to the environment.5 Waste water contains pharmaceuticals and personal care products because people excrete them after consumption, wash them off after use, or dispose of them in the sink or down the toilet.6 It makes sense that avoiding pharmaceuticals disposal in this manner would reduce their presence in waste water.
Traditionally, human and animal health care facilities and pharmacies disposed of pharmaceuticals down the drain.7, 8 Their advice to patients was to do the same, establishing this all too common practice.9 We must now break this habit. To do so, we encourage continuation of programs like the Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal program in Pontiac;10 local waste collection events;11,12,13 the EPA funded ARCHS: RxMeds program allowing drug drop-off at grocery stores;14 and finally pharmaceutical manufacturer programs like disposal pouches for medical patches.15
But pharmaceuticals get into water in other ways too.16 Medicated pets and animals excrete pharmaceuticals directly into the environment.17,18 In 1997 alone, between 7 and 15 thousand tons of antibiotics were used for farm animals compared to about 5 thousand tons for humans.19,20 By one estimate, over 12 thousand pounds of pharmaceuticals are used each year in livestock for nontherapeutic purposes alone.21 Recent testing in this State by the Illinois EPA also suggests “agricultural sources may be important contributors to the load of pharmaceuticals in the source water…” 22
The old adage “out of sight out of mind” is no longer accurate. We can now detect less than one drop of some medicines in more than 13 million gallons of water.23 And with the continued march of science, we will eventually detect more compounds at even lesser amounts. Fortunately, detection of a compound does not imply a health risk. The highest detected level thus far is 5,000,000 times lower than a therapeutic dose.24 Based on water tests conducted this spring; IL EPA has determined that the levels in water are not currently a health concern.22
But more science needs to be done, especially health effects research. The US EPA is moving forward to address the information gaps.25 They are funding research, pilot collection programs, and have assembled 300 pages of existing scientific references related to this topic. 26 They have also commissioned the National Academy of Sciences to assemble a panel of experts to advise them on the topic later this year.27
We support the EPA’s comprehensive science based approach to setting water quality standards. The Safe Drinking Water Act and related Contaminant Candidate List and Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule identify, prioritize, and study contaminants in a scientifically rigorous manner. 28, 29, 30 This process assures the public that the standards are both needed and protective of public health. Regulatory limits and monitoring requirements must be based on health protection and not on trace occurrence.31
Water treatment folks take drinking water seriously. We are on the front line of protecting public health. Our community residents rely on us for a lifetime of safe drinking water. We understand clearly our role in the environment and desire healthy watersheds and source waters that are free of compounds that pose a health concern. However, watersheds, rivers, lakes and aquifers know no boundaries. We are all going to have to take part in this effort. We ask that everyone everywhere properly use and dispose of all chemicals, especially pharmaceuticals and personal care products.
Thank you Senator Garrett and colleagues on the Public Health Committee for this opportunity to appear before you today. We offer you our organization as a source of information and we offer the expertise of our members. We look forward to working with you as partners in protecting our environment and its natural resources to assure public health protection.
Respectfully Submitted September 9, 2008.
William J. Soucie, M.S.
Illinois Section AWWA Trustee Region 2
Water Quality Laboratory Supervisor
Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency
200 Rockland Road
PO Box 278
Lake Bluff, IL, 60044
Postscript
When it comes to the levels of pharmaceuticals in drinking water, perspective is an important factor. My utility and others have detected DEET, a compound used to repel mosquitoes, in Lake Michigan. Consider what happens to a single small dab, a gram to be exact, of the popular “Sun & Bug” lotion that contains DEET.32 Let’s assume that half of the dab washes into the Lake as the bather jumps in to cool off. That half a dab creates a detectable DEET level in 26 million gallons of water.33 That sounds bad. Will accidental consumption of this water while swimming pose a health risk to the bather? For perspective, consider that when applied to the skin, 100,000 times more DEET will enter the person’s bloodstream than if they accidently swallowed a liter of this water.34,35 Yet DEET is considered safe and has been used for decades.
References
1. Dougherty, Laurie. Personal Communication. 8/25/2008
2. Tabak, H. and R. Bunch. 1970. “Steroid hormones as water pollutants. I. Metabolism of natural and synthetic ovulation-inhibiting hormones by microorganisms of activated sludge and primary settled sewage.” Developments in Industrial Microbiology. 11: 367-376.
3. Endocrine Disruptors & Pharmaceutically Active Chemicals in Drinking Water Workshop. April 19 – 21, 2000. AWWARF. Chicago, Illinois.
4. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). US EPA. Accessed 9/4/08. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/
5. Kolpin, D.W., et al. 2002. “Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Contaminants in U.S. Streams, 1999-2000: A National Reconnaissance.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 36: 1202-1211.
6. Snyder, S. et al. Comprehensive Utility Guide for Endocrine Disruptors and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water. AWWARF. Denver, CO. 2008.
7. Smith, C.A. 2002. “Managing Pharmaceutical Waste.” Journal of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, 11: 17-22
8. Pines, E. & C. Smith. “Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A 10-Step Blueprint for Health Care Facilities in the United States”. Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. April 2006. US EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Innovative Initiative. Accessed 8/23/2008. http://www.h2e-online.org/docs/h2epharmablueprint41506.pdf.
9. Disposal of Unwanted or Unused Pharmaceuticals Fact Sheet. Illinois EPA. Accessed 9/6/08. http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/pharmaceuticals-disposal.html
10. Ritter, P. Prescription Drug Disposal Program. Pontiac Township H.S. Accessed 8/22/08. http://www.p2d2program.org/
11. Household Chemical Waste (HCW) Collections. Solid Waste Agency of Lake County. Accessed 8/25/08. http://www.co.lake.il.us/swalco/events/hcw.asp
12. Boehme, S. & E.H. Malloy. “Disposal of Unwanted Medicines: A Resource for Action in Your Community.” Habitats and Ecosystems. July 2007. Illinois – Indiana Sea Grant. Accessed 8/22/08. http://www.iisgcp.org/unwantedmeds/updatedToolkitMaterials/2.0CaseStudies.pdf.
13. Medicine Drop Off. Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County. Accessed 9/4/08. http://swancc.org/recycling/medicinedropoff.html
14. 2008 Medicine Cabinet Cleanup ARCHS: RxMEDS Community Partnership. Area Resources for Community and Human Services. Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.stlarchs.org/rxmeds.htm
15. Batt, S. “Pharmaceuticals in Our Water: A New Threat to Public Health?” Women and Health Protection. October 2004. Accessed 8/21/08. http://www.whp-apsf.ca/en/documents/pharmWater.html.
16. Origins and Fate of PPCPs in the Environment Poster. USEPA. March 2006. Accessed 9/7/08. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/pdf/drawing.pdf
17. Boxall, A.B.A. et al. 2003. “Are Veterinary Medicines Causing Environmental Risks?” Environ. Sci. Technol. 8: 286A – 294A
18. “Pharmaceuticals and Pathogens”. EPA Regional Priority AFO Science Question Synthesis Document. Workshop Review Draft: Supporting Documentation for the EPA Regional Science Workshop on Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) – Science and Technical Support Needs. December 6-9, 2004. Accessed 9/4/2008. http://www.epa.gov/OSP/regions/afo.htm
19. Cicmanec, J. L. “Veterinary Pharmaceuticals: Potential Environmental Impact and Treatment Strategies.” Presentation for Emerging Pollutants Workshop. US EPA Region 5. Accessed 8/28/08. www.epa.gov/osp/regions/emerpoll/cicmanec2.ppt
20. Cicmanec, J.L. “Veterinary Pharmaceuticals: Potential Environmental Impact and Treatment Strategies.” Presentation for Animal Feeding Operations Workshop. US EPA. Accessed 9/4/08. http://www.epa.gov/OSP/regions/afo.htm
21. Mellon, M. et al. 2001. Hogging It – Estimates of Antimicrobial Abuse in Livestock. Union of Concerned Scientists. UCS Publications. Cambridge, MA.
22. Report on Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Illinois Drinking Water. Bureau of Water, Illinois EPA. June 2008.
23. One drop of water weighs about 50 mg or 50 million nanograms. One part per trillion equals 1 ng/L which equals 50 million nanograms per 50 million liters. 50,000,000 liters / 3.785 l/gal = 13,210,000 gallons.
24. Statement of Dr. Shane Snyder, Southern Nevada Water Authority before the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality on Pharmaceuticals in the Nation’s Water: Assessing Potential Risks and Actions to Address the Issue. April 15, 2008.
25. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Water, USEPA. Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/ppcp/
26. “Literature Citations Relevant to Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs).” U.S. EPA, ORD. July 2008.Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/citations20080701.pdf
27. “EPA Continues Work to Understand Potential Impacts of Pharmaceuticals in Water.” Press Release 8/6/08. USEPA. Washington DC.
28. Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List and Regulatory Determinations – Basic Information. US EPA. Accessed 9/4/08. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/basicinformation.html
29. National Drinking Water Advisory Council Report on the CCL Classification Process to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. May 19, 2004. NDWAC. Accessed 9/4/2008. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/basicinformation.html
30. Classifying Drinking Water Contaminants for Regulatory Consideration. Committee on Drinking Water Contaminants. National Research Council. National Academy Press. Washington D.C., 2001.
31. Snyder, S.A. et al. Removal of EDCs and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking and Reuse Treatment Processes. AWWARF, Denver ,CO 2007.
32. Repel Sun and & Bug Stuff ® Lotion. 20% DEET. Spectrum Brands. Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.repel.com/ProductCategories/Insectrepellents/SunBug/
33. Typical use is much more than one gram. However, here we assume only half of the applied one gram completely dissolves and disperses in water. And we assume a detection limit of one part-per-trillion. 0.5 grams of lotion contains 20% DEET or 0.1 grams of DEET. One gram of DEET in one trillion grams of water is equal to one part-per-trillion. One tenth of a gram of DEET in one tenth of a trillion or 100 billion grams of water is also equal to one-part-per-trillion. Since 1 gram of water = 1 mL of water and 3785 mL = one gallon: 100,000,000,000 mL / 3785 mL per gallon = 26,000,000 gallons of water.
34. More than 5% of applied DEET is absorbed through the skin. DEET Chemical Technical Summary for Public Health and Public Safety Professionals. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. December 2004. Accessed 8/22/08. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/consultations/deet/pharmacokinetics.html.
35. 5% of the 0.1 gram of 20% DEET left on the skin is absorbed into the body. That is 0.005 grams absorbed into the body. If one drank a liter of Lake water with 1 part-per-trillion of DEET, their exposure would be 5 million times LESS than the exposure from DEET applied to the skin.
Subject - Water quality and the levels of pharmaceuticals in water
September 9, 2008
16-503 Thompson Center
Chicago
Good morning. My name is Bill Soucie. I am a chemist and water quality laboratory supervisor at the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency in Lake Bluff. I am also an elected Trustee for the Illinois Section of the American Water Works Association which I represent today. Founded in 1909, the Illinois Section of the AWWA has over 2,250 members representing 1770 public water supplies.1 Our objective is the advancement and dissemination of knowledge concerning water works, and the promotion of public health, safety, and welfare. That is why I am here today.
The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water has been the subject of research over the past 38 years.2,3,4 During this time span, waste water has been identified as a major contributor of these compounds to the environment.5 Waste water contains pharmaceuticals and personal care products because people excrete them after consumption, wash them off after use, or dispose of them in the sink or down the toilet.6 It makes sense that avoiding pharmaceuticals disposal in this manner would reduce their presence in waste water.
Traditionally, human and animal health care facilities and pharmacies disposed of pharmaceuticals down the drain.7, 8 Their advice to patients was to do the same, establishing this all too common practice.9 We must now break this habit. To do so, we encourage continuation of programs like the Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal program in Pontiac;10 local waste collection events;11,12,13 the EPA funded ARCHS: RxMeds program allowing drug drop-off at grocery stores;14 and finally pharmaceutical manufacturer programs like disposal pouches for medical patches.15
But pharmaceuticals get into water in other ways too.16 Medicated pets and animals excrete pharmaceuticals directly into the environment.17,18 In 1997 alone, between 7 and 15 thousand tons of antibiotics were used for farm animals compared to about 5 thousand tons for humans.19,20 By one estimate, over 12 thousand pounds of pharmaceuticals are used each year in livestock for nontherapeutic purposes alone.21 Recent testing in this State by the Illinois EPA also suggests “agricultural sources may be important contributors to the load of pharmaceuticals in the source water…” 22
The old adage “out of sight out of mind” is no longer accurate. We can now detect less than one drop of some medicines in more than 13 million gallons of water.23 And with the continued march of science, we will eventually detect more compounds at even lesser amounts. Fortunately, detection of a compound does not imply a health risk. The highest detected level thus far is 5,000,000 times lower than a therapeutic dose.24 Based on water tests conducted this spring; IL EPA has determined that the levels in water are not currently a health concern.22
But more science needs to be done, especially health effects research. The US EPA is moving forward to address the information gaps.25 They are funding research, pilot collection programs, and have assembled 300 pages of existing scientific references related to this topic. 26 They have also commissioned the National Academy of Sciences to assemble a panel of experts to advise them on the topic later this year.27
We support the EPA’s comprehensive science based approach to setting water quality standards. The Safe Drinking Water Act and related Contaminant Candidate List and Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule identify, prioritize, and study contaminants in a scientifically rigorous manner. 28, 29, 30 This process assures the public that the standards are both needed and protective of public health. Regulatory limits and monitoring requirements must be based on health protection and not on trace occurrence.31
Water treatment folks take drinking water seriously. We are on the front line of protecting public health. Our community residents rely on us for a lifetime of safe drinking water. We understand clearly our role in the environment and desire healthy watersheds and source waters that are free of compounds that pose a health concern. However, watersheds, rivers, lakes and aquifers know no boundaries. We are all going to have to take part in this effort. We ask that everyone everywhere properly use and dispose of all chemicals, especially pharmaceuticals and personal care products.
Thank you Senator Garrett and colleagues on the Public Health Committee for this opportunity to appear before you today. We offer you our organization as a source of information and we offer the expertise of our members. We look forward to working with you as partners in protecting our environment and its natural resources to assure public health protection.
Respectfully Submitted September 9, 2008.
William J. Soucie, M.S.
Illinois Section AWWA Trustee Region 2
Water Quality Laboratory Supervisor
Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency
200 Rockland Road
PO Box 278
Lake Bluff, IL, 60044
Postscript
When it comes to the levels of pharmaceuticals in drinking water, perspective is an important factor. My utility and others have detected DEET, a compound used to repel mosquitoes, in Lake Michigan. Consider what happens to a single small dab, a gram to be exact, of the popular “Sun & Bug” lotion that contains DEET.32 Let’s assume that half of the dab washes into the Lake as the bather jumps in to cool off. That half a dab creates a detectable DEET level in 26 million gallons of water.33 That sounds bad. Will accidental consumption of this water while swimming pose a health risk to the bather? For perspective, consider that when applied to the skin, 100,000 times more DEET will enter the person’s bloodstream than if they accidently swallowed a liter of this water.34,35 Yet DEET is considered safe and has been used for decades.
References
1. Dougherty, Laurie. Personal Communication. 8/25/2008
2. Tabak, H. and R. Bunch. 1970. “Steroid hormones as water pollutants. I. Metabolism of natural and synthetic ovulation-inhibiting hormones by microorganisms of activated sludge and primary settled sewage.” Developments in Industrial Microbiology. 11: 367-376.
3. Endocrine Disruptors & Pharmaceutically Active Chemicals in Drinking Water Workshop. April 19 – 21, 2000. AWWARF. Chicago, Illinois.
4. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). US EPA. Accessed 9/4/08. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/
5. Kolpin, D.W., et al. 2002. “Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Contaminants in U.S. Streams, 1999-2000: A National Reconnaissance.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 36: 1202-1211.
6. Snyder, S. et al. Comprehensive Utility Guide for Endocrine Disruptors and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water. AWWARF. Denver, CO. 2008.
7. Smith, C.A. 2002. “Managing Pharmaceutical Waste.” Journal of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, 11: 17-22
8. Pines, E. & C. Smith. “Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A 10-Step Blueprint for Health Care Facilities in the United States”. Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. April 2006. US EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Innovative Initiative. Accessed 8/23/2008. http://www.h2e-online.org/docs/h2epharmablueprint41506.pdf.
9. Disposal of Unwanted or Unused Pharmaceuticals Fact Sheet. Illinois EPA. Accessed 9/6/08. http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/pharmaceuticals-disposal.html
10. Ritter, P. Prescription Drug Disposal Program. Pontiac Township H.S. Accessed 8/22/08. http://www.p2d2program.org/
11. Household Chemical Waste (HCW) Collections. Solid Waste Agency of Lake County. Accessed 8/25/08. http://www.co.lake.il.us/swalco/events/hcw.asp
12. Boehme, S. & E.H. Malloy. “Disposal of Unwanted Medicines: A Resource for Action in Your Community.” Habitats and Ecosystems. July 2007. Illinois – Indiana Sea Grant. Accessed 8/22/08. http://www.iisgcp.org/unwantedmeds/updatedToolkitMaterials/2.0CaseStudies.pdf.
13. Medicine Drop Off. Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County. Accessed 9/4/08. http://swancc.org/recycling/medicinedropoff.html
14. 2008 Medicine Cabinet Cleanup ARCHS: RxMEDS Community Partnership. Area Resources for Community and Human Services. Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.stlarchs.org/rxmeds.htm
15. Batt, S. “Pharmaceuticals in Our Water: A New Threat to Public Health?” Women and Health Protection. October 2004. Accessed 8/21/08. http://www.whp-apsf.ca/en/documents/pharmWater.html.
16. Origins and Fate of PPCPs in the Environment Poster. USEPA. March 2006. Accessed 9/7/08. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/pdf/drawing.pdf
17. Boxall, A.B.A. et al. 2003. “Are Veterinary Medicines Causing Environmental Risks?” Environ. Sci. Technol. 8: 286A – 294A
18. “Pharmaceuticals and Pathogens”. EPA Regional Priority AFO Science Question Synthesis Document. Workshop Review Draft: Supporting Documentation for the EPA Regional Science Workshop on Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) – Science and Technical Support Needs. December 6-9, 2004. Accessed 9/4/2008. http://www.epa.gov/OSP/regions/afo.htm
19. Cicmanec, J. L. “Veterinary Pharmaceuticals: Potential Environmental Impact and Treatment Strategies.” Presentation for Emerging Pollutants Workshop. US EPA Region 5. Accessed 8/28/08. www.epa.gov/osp/regions/emerpoll/cicmanec2.ppt
20. Cicmanec, J.L. “Veterinary Pharmaceuticals: Potential Environmental Impact and Treatment Strategies.” Presentation for Animal Feeding Operations Workshop. US EPA. Accessed 9/4/08. http://www.epa.gov/OSP/regions/afo.htm
21. Mellon, M. et al. 2001. Hogging It – Estimates of Antimicrobial Abuse in Livestock. Union of Concerned Scientists. UCS Publications. Cambridge, MA.
22. Report on Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Illinois Drinking Water. Bureau of Water, Illinois EPA. June 2008.
23. One drop of water weighs about 50 mg or 50 million nanograms. One part per trillion equals 1 ng/L which equals 50 million nanograms per 50 million liters. 50,000,000 liters / 3.785 l/gal = 13,210,000 gallons.
24. Statement of Dr. Shane Snyder, Southern Nevada Water Authority before the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality on Pharmaceuticals in the Nation’s Water: Assessing Potential Risks and Actions to Address the Issue. April 15, 2008.
25. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Water, USEPA. Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/ppcp/
26. “Literature Citations Relevant to Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs).” U.S. EPA, ORD. July 2008.Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/citations20080701.pdf
27. “EPA Continues Work to Understand Potential Impacts of Pharmaceuticals in Water.” Press Release 8/6/08. USEPA. Washington DC.
28. Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List and Regulatory Determinations – Basic Information. US EPA. Accessed 9/4/08. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/basicinformation.html
29. National Drinking Water Advisory Council Report on the CCL Classification Process to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. May 19, 2004. NDWAC. Accessed 9/4/2008. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/basicinformation.html
30. Classifying Drinking Water Contaminants for Regulatory Consideration. Committee on Drinking Water Contaminants. National Research Council. National Academy Press. Washington D.C., 2001.
31. Snyder, S.A. et al. Removal of EDCs and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking and Reuse Treatment Processes. AWWARF, Denver ,CO 2007.
32. Repel Sun and & Bug Stuff ® Lotion. 20% DEET. Spectrum Brands. Accessed 8/28/08. http://www.repel.com/ProductCategories/Insectrepellents/SunBug/
33. Typical use is much more than one gram. However, here we assume only half of the applied one gram completely dissolves and disperses in water. And we assume a detection limit of one part-per-trillion. 0.5 grams of lotion contains 20% DEET or 0.1 grams of DEET. One gram of DEET in one trillion grams of water is equal to one part-per-trillion. One tenth of a gram of DEET in one tenth of a trillion or 100 billion grams of water is also equal to one-part-per-trillion. Since 1 gram of water = 1 mL of water and 3785 mL = one gallon: 100,000,000,000 mL / 3785 mL per gallon = 26,000,000 gallons of water.
34. More than 5% of applied DEET is absorbed through the skin. DEET Chemical Technical Summary for Public Health and Public Safety Professionals. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. December 2004. Accessed 8/22/08. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/consultations/deet/pharmacokinetics.html.
35. 5% of the 0.1 gram of 20% DEET left on the skin is absorbed into the body. That is 0.005 grams absorbed into the body. If one drank a liter of Lake water with 1 part-per-trillion of DEET, their exposure would be 5 million times LESS than the exposure from DEET applied to the skin.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Illinois EPA
Illinois EPA releases final report on pharmaceuticals in public drinking supplies finding no immediate
public health risk
Results found only trace levels of several prescription drugs and
common chemical; further study needed
SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois EPA has completed its report summarizing the findings of unregulated pharmaceuticals and personal care products in Illinois drinking water supplies from samples taken in Chicago and four water supplies that rely on river water as their source. The report indicates that Illinois’ drinking water continues to be safe, and the Illinois EPA sees no cause for immediate concern; however, low levels of several pharmaceuticals were found in Illinois drinking water.
While there are no federal standards established for pharmaceuticals, the Illinois EPA tested drinking water as a proactive step to assess the scope of the presence of pharmaceuticals in our waterways to ensure that our drinking water supplies are adequately protected. Illinois EPA screened for 56 chemicals typically found in drugs and personal care products that may be released from water treatment plants into lake and river water. Illinois EPA detected low concentrations of 17 of these chemicals.
“I am pleased that the report found that concentrations of chemicals measured in drinking water supplies do not pose a threat to human health,” said Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott. “We believe that the consumers deserve as much information about their drinking water as we can provide to them. That’s why we’ll continue to monitor the safety of drinking water supplies and educate the public about how to keep pharmaceuticals and personal care products out of our water supplies.”
In March of this year, the Illinois EPA collected samples from both untreated “source” water and from the treated drinking water from public water supplies in Chicago, Aurora, Elgin, East St. Louis and Rock Island. In addition, the city of Springfield collected its own samples and provided the data to Illinois EPA; these data can be seen at www.epa.state.il.us. The samples were analyzed for 56 pharmaceuticals and chemicals commonly found in prescription medications and commonly used in personal products, including: pain relievers, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, an insect repellant, and chemicals derived from coffee and tobacco.
In order to assess the safety of the very low levels of the chemicals found in the treated drinking water, Illinois EPA toxicologists consulted with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)to determine what chemical concentrations will adequately protect public health. Illinois EPA and IDPH used the best available international risk assessment standards and then adjusted them to a level 3.5 times more stringent to ensure even greater public health protection. These protective thresholds were then compared to the chemical concentrations found in collected samples to determine if any of the chemicals pose a public health risk.
Cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, was the chemical found closest to its threshold of concern, but still 333 times below the threshold of concern for human health. At the opposite extreme Lincomycine, a veterinary anti-biotic, had a margin of safety greater than ten million. The margin of safety for other chemicals fell between these levels.
While all samples revealed low chemical concentrations far below levels that could likely pose a public health risk, chemical concentration in samples of lake water were lower than samples of river water. Because river samples were collected during “high-flow” conditions, which could potentially dilute the concentrations, the report recommended additional sampling under low-flow conditions. The report suggested that additional chemicals may need to be tested beyond the 56 for which Illinois EPA screened in this study.
As a follow up step, the Illinois EPA will continue to do additional sampling, to provide an even better understanding of potential risks from pharmaceuticals in water. The Agency will continue to assess the results, and do more sampling and testing as necessary. As with the initial sampling results, future analysis will add to the growing base of information currently available, and further reduce the uncertainty about the presence of pharmaceuticals in water.
For people who would like to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals in their home, the Illinois EPA will continue collecting unused pharmaceuticals at its household hazardous waste collection event, which are held across the state each spring and fall. Residents are advised to save all old or unwanted medications for an Illinois EPA-sponsored household hazardous waste collection: the current collection schedule is on the Agency’s web page: http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-schedule.html.
The Illinois EPA advises people to not flush pharmaceuticals down the toilet or pour them down the drain because wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not designed to treat pharmaceutical waste and the drugs often end up in our waterways, and ultimately in our drinking water. Instead, residents should save old or unwanted medications for an Illinois EPA sponsored household hazardous waste collection. At such an event last year, seven 55-gallon drums of pharmaceuticals were collected and properly disposed.
In the event that citizens cannot attend one of the Agency’s Household Hazardous Waste collections, four permanent household hazardous waste collection facilities in Rockford, Naperville, Chicago and Lake County also accept pharmaceutical waste. In addition, many hospitals, pharmacies and police departments also offer programs to collect and dispose of unwanted drugs.
To discourage illegal and unsafe ingestion of discarded pharmaceuticals, the state encourages people remove unused or unneeded drugs from their original containers, mix them with coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in non-descript impermeable containers, such as empty cans.
In an effort to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals discharged into our environment, the Illinois EPA is working with communities across the state to collect and safely dispose of unwanted and unused pharmaceuticals. If your community is interested in cosponsoring a collection, please call the Illinois EPA’s Waste Reduction Unit at (217) 785-8604.
public health risk
Results found only trace levels of several prescription drugs and
common chemical; further study needed
SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois EPA has completed its report summarizing the findings of unregulated pharmaceuticals and personal care products in Illinois drinking water supplies from samples taken in Chicago and four water supplies that rely on river water as their source. The report indicates that Illinois’ drinking water continues to be safe, and the Illinois EPA sees no cause for immediate concern; however, low levels of several pharmaceuticals were found in Illinois drinking water.
While there are no federal standards established for pharmaceuticals, the Illinois EPA tested drinking water as a proactive step to assess the scope of the presence of pharmaceuticals in our waterways to ensure that our drinking water supplies are adequately protected. Illinois EPA screened for 56 chemicals typically found in drugs and personal care products that may be released from water treatment plants into lake and river water. Illinois EPA detected low concentrations of 17 of these chemicals.
“I am pleased that the report found that concentrations of chemicals measured in drinking water supplies do not pose a threat to human health,” said Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott. “We believe that the consumers deserve as much information about their drinking water as we can provide to them. That’s why we’ll continue to monitor the safety of drinking water supplies and educate the public about how to keep pharmaceuticals and personal care products out of our water supplies.”
In March of this year, the Illinois EPA collected samples from both untreated “source” water and from the treated drinking water from public water supplies in Chicago, Aurora, Elgin, East St. Louis and Rock Island. In addition, the city of Springfield collected its own samples and provided the data to Illinois EPA; these data can be seen at www.epa.state.il.us. The samples were analyzed for 56 pharmaceuticals and chemicals commonly found in prescription medications and commonly used in personal products, including: pain relievers, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, an insect repellant, and chemicals derived from coffee and tobacco.
In order to assess the safety of the very low levels of the chemicals found in the treated drinking water, Illinois EPA toxicologists consulted with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)to determine what chemical concentrations will adequately protect public health. Illinois EPA and IDPH used the best available international risk assessment standards and then adjusted them to a level 3.5 times more stringent to ensure even greater public health protection. These protective thresholds were then compared to the chemical concentrations found in collected samples to determine if any of the chemicals pose a public health risk.
Cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, was the chemical found closest to its threshold of concern, but still 333 times below the threshold of concern for human health. At the opposite extreme Lincomycine, a veterinary anti-biotic, had a margin of safety greater than ten million. The margin of safety for other chemicals fell between these levels.
While all samples revealed low chemical concentrations far below levels that could likely pose a public health risk, chemical concentration in samples of lake water were lower than samples of river water. Because river samples were collected during “high-flow” conditions, which could potentially dilute the concentrations, the report recommended additional sampling under low-flow conditions. The report suggested that additional chemicals may need to be tested beyond the 56 for which Illinois EPA screened in this study.
As a follow up step, the Illinois EPA will continue to do additional sampling, to provide an even better understanding of potential risks from pharmaceuticals in water. The Agency will continue to assess the results, and do more sampling and testing as necessary. As with the initial sampling results, future analysis will add to the growing base of information currently available, and further reduce the uncertainty about the presence of pharmaceuticals in water.
For people who would like to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals in their home, the Illinois EPA will continue collecting unused pharmaceuticals at its household hazardous waste collection event, which are held across the state each spring and fall. Residents are advised to save all old or unwanted medications for an Illinois EPA-sponsored household hazardous waste collection: the current collection schedule is on the Agency’s web page: http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-schedule.html.
The Illinois EPA advises people to not flush pharmaceuticals down the toilet or pour them down the drain because wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not designed to treat pharmaceutical waste and the drugs often end up in our waterways, and ultimately in our drinking water. Instead, residents should save old or unwanted medications for an Illinois EPA sponsored household hazardous waste collection. At such an event last year, seven 55-gallon drums of pharmaceuticals were collected and properly disposed.
In the event that citizens cannot attend one of the Agency’s Household Hazardous Waste collections, four permanent household hazardous waste collection facilities in Rockford, Naperville, Chicago and Lake County also accept pharmaceutical waste. In addition, many hospitals, pharmacies and police departments also offer programs to collect and dispose of unwanted drugs.
To discourage illegal and unsafe ingestion of discarded pharmaceuticals, the state encourages people remove unused or unneeded drugs from their original containers, mix them with coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in non-descript impermeable containers, such as empty cans.
In an effort to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals discharged into our environment, the Illinois EPA is working with communities across the state to collect and safely dispose of unwanted and unused pharmaceuticals. If your community is interested in cosponsoring a collection, please call the Illinois EPA’s Waste Reduction Unit at (217) 785-8604.
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