America's Pharmawater Showing Up In Fish In Big City Wastewater Systems

Five major US water systems have so many pharma products in their water supplies that fish are picking it up, and anti-depressants and meds for bipolar disorder, presumably anti-seizure drugs, are showing up in the fish. The cities are Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Orlando, Fla.

"Fish caught near wastewater treatment plants serving five major U.S. cities had residues of pharmaceuticals in them, including medicines used to treat high cholesterol, allergies, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder and depression, researchers reported Wednesday."

I've dubbed this phenomenon "pharmawater."

Researchers noted that the concentrations weren't high enough to practically affect humans, but that none of this is good for the fish. I noted last year that researchers had found that Prozac in rivers made fish swim oddly and not eat. I can't imagine that any of this is good for humans either.

Last year, the AP reported that psych meds were showing up in water supplies around the US and, this year, that pharma manufacturing facilities in India were polluting rivers there with all manner of meds.