Pharmaceuticals

Health Effects

Contaminants of emerging concern. Potential effects include endocrine disruption, antibiotic resistance development, and unknown long-term effects from chronic low-dose exposure to drug cocktails. Concentrations found in drinking water are typically far below therapeutic doses.

Source: EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

Where It Comes From

Enter water supply from human excretion of medications, improper disposal of drugs (flushing), hospital and pharmaceutical manufacturing wastewater, and agricultural use of veterinary drugs. Most water treatment plants are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals.

Where It's Commonly Found

Detected at trace levels (ng/L to low µg/L) in source water and finished drinking water worldwide. More concentrated downstream from wastewater treatment plant discharges and near pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

Currently unregulated. EPA added pharmaceuticals as a contaminant group to the draft CCL 6 in April 2026. Detected in trace amounts in the majority of U.S. water supplies tested. Federal regulation is likely years away.

How to Remove It