By Roger Faubel, President
Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors

At Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD), our number one priority is to provide our customers with a safe, refreshing and reliable water supply, so when a national news story ran recently about trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water, we expected our customers to start asking questions.

We’re proud that over the years we have been able to maintain an exemplary water quality record, achieving and exceeding all safe drinking water standards. Even so, we know that many have been troubled by the media reports and concerned about the trace levels of pharmaceuticals being present in drinking water.

Let me explain. For years, SMWD has been educating local residents about the importance of protecting local water quality through personal responsibility. We have made the pleas time and time again. "Don’t dump motor oil and other hazardous materials down storm drains," we say. "Reduce runoff by limiting excessive irrigation."

We know that small acts of environmental sensitivity by community members have greatly reduced water pollution, beach contamination and ultimately have led to better water quality for all of us. While most of our customers "get it" when it comes to lawn chemicals, pet waste or motor oil going into storm drains, the concept of not flushing pharmaceuticals remains a new idea for most. That’s why in the past few years, we’ve also been educating our customers about the proper disposal of pharmaceutical medications, discouraging residents from flushing their pills.

Due to improving technologies, environmental experts have been detecting previously imperceptible amounts of pharmaceuticals in regional supplies, which is why trace levels of pharmaceuticals were found in a 2006 survey of water at the Metropolitan Water District’s (MWD) Joseph Jensen Water Treatment Plant in the San Fernando Valley. Even though SMWD gets its water from MWD’s Diemer Water Treatment Plant in Yorba Linda, we paid attention, closely following the issue.

The survey revealed the presence of trace amounts (in the parts-per-trillion range) of several different pharmaceuticals and pesticides in the untreated water entering the Jensen plant. What does "trace" mean? To put it in perspective, in order to equal just one dose of the medication, one would have to drink the equivalent of 120 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water with the same level of pharmaceuticals as were detected at the Jensen plant.

So the facts are reassuring. Scientists do not consider current levels to be harmful to humans, though they continue to study the ecological and biological impacts of the medication in the water.

Together with MWD, we at SMWD can assure our customers that drinking water in our area is extremely safe, meeting all federal and state standards. But even so, we encourage our customers to do their part to reduce the level of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants found in the water supply.

Doing the right thing is simple. Refrain from flushing old and unused medications down the toilet. Instead, contact a local pharmacy to see if they will discard the pills for you, or simply seal the pharmaceuticals and deliver them to the nearest Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center. Call 1-800-CLEANUP for the location of the Center nearest you.

Help us keep water supplies clean by doing your part to reduce water contamination.

For more information about water quality, visit www.smwd.com.