Originally appeared at: http://www.eagletribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_320024352.html
Editorial: Drug contamination in river merits study
November 16, 2009 02:43 am
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Talk to anyone who has grown up along the banks of the Merrimack River, and they'll tell you that the once-filthy waters have been dramatically cleaned up over the past couple decades.
The contamination that was once pumped directly into it is largely controlled; the smell and distasteful appearance is gone. It's not pristine, but it's certainly much cleaner than it was 30 or 40 years ago.
But not all is well with the region's largest and most important river. A just-released study by the Merrimack River Watershed Council reveals that there are traces of 16 different pharmaceuticals in the water.
Among the chemicals identified were many over-the-counter and prescription medications, such as Prozac, antibiotics, and antihistamines. Even traces of cocaine were found.
The river serves as an important source of drinking water for communities such as Andover and Lawrence, making its condition a vital interest to that section of the Merrimack Valley. The general health of the river is certainly a concern for the thousands of people who swim in the river and our local beaches.
A likely source is the sewage plant overflows that occur regularly during rainstorms. Massive sewage treatment plants in cities all along the river spew out "overflow discharge" whenever their systems become overburdened with rainfall that finds its ways into sewage pipes and city drains that feed into them. The most obvious result of this is the health warnings that come into effect whenever significant rainstorms occur — boaters and swimmers are urged to avoid the Merrimack River due to potential sewage-borne illnesses.
But this recent study gives reason to believe that there is another layer of contamination that needs to be studied and solved. The effects of these trace pharmaceuticals on our environment and ourselves is not yet fully understood. There have been documented cases of severe impacts on fish, and scientists now believe that even trace amounts of chemicals may be causing health problems.
And the Merrimack is hardly alone. A report by the Associated Press last year indicated over 40 million people have traces of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water.
"There's no doubt about it, pharmaceuticals are being detected in the environment and there is genuine concern that these compounds, in the small concentrations that they're at, could be causing impacts to human health or to aquatic organisms," said Mary Buzby, director of environmental technology for drug maker Merck & Co. Inc.
The watershed council is lobbying for the federal government to conduct an Urban River Study on the Merrimack, arguing this latest finding merits close attention. We'd agree — the Merrimack is a vital water source for the region, and the extent and effects of these contaminants should be studied.
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