Irrigation water sampled for drugs, contaminants

The contaminants are coming from
homeless people peeing in the water. Provide portable toilets
along the river and much of problem will go away...unless they push the toilets in the water.

I think that is great that the high school students are being involved, both environmentally and scientifically. Taking scientific samples is a very detailed process. Having the exposure when they're young will go a long way to guiding students to a real career path.

The pharmaceuticals in the water come from all the private septic systems and large municipal wastewater treatment systems that dump into our waterways.

We are poisoning ourselves and all the other critters that depend on this water for life. These drugs, like hormones, heart medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, and blood pressure controllers pass through our bodies - and our sewer plants - largely intact. Many of these drugs are active in our bodies at levels of parts per trillion, which are the levels they typically occur in our waterways.

The effects of these drugs in combination and over a long period of time is the ongoing experiment taking place in the bodies of New Mexico citizens in Santa Fe and now Albuquerque where Rio Grande water is now being consumed.

Perhaps these drugs are responsible for the rise of new diseases and new syndromes such as oddball cancers, autism, lowered fertility, ADD, and mental instability? Someday, maybe we'll find out (assuming we survive and still have the mental capacity to keep researching things like chemistry and human health).

Kudos to the kids for jumping into this important project!