Posted Tuesday --- March 11, 2008

Wisconsin communities plan drop-off days for old pills

(AP) -- By coincidence, Wisconsin communities have campaigns under way to prevent old medications from being flushed down toilets ... just as an Associated Press investigation has uncovered startling findings about pharmaceuticals in drinking water.

The AP reports that water tested in 62 major metropolitan areas found trace amounts of the drugs in the water in about two dozen cities, including Milwaukee.

The water testing in Milwaukee found traces of a nicotine derivative called cotinine, but the Milwaukee Water Works says it was in treatment plants and not in water coming from the tap.

Carrie Lewis of the Water Works says Milwaukee is a leader in testing for drugs and other chemicals in the drinking water and making the results available to the public.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage district has scheduled a medicine collection day at six sites April 19th, for people to drop off old medicines so they don't end up in drinking water.

In the Fox Valley, Calumet, Outagamie, Waupaca and Winnebago counties are also setting up drug drop-off sites next month. The program started last year, when the four counties collected more than 16,000 doses of controlled substances.

AP