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According to this article, the birth-control hormones were found in the rivers and even ended up in the drinking water.

Amway dealers claim that only their water purifier can remove these hormones since they are too small to be extracted by a standard water purifier. Their product is much more expensive for the reason I mention. I know their products are normally overpriced and I think it's just a trick to sell it.

I worry about the quality of the water now and thinking of getting a water purifier. But are my worries actually rational or should I really get a purifier?

The main claims regarding a contraception hormones found in drinking water are that they affect people's fertility or general health, or even the main cause of the rise of homosexuality.

Grasper
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    The suggestive undercurrent in the source and the last sentence of this post regarding sexual identity make me sick to my stomach. I really thought we were over this "homosexuality is evil and needs to be cured" stuff. Also, rising awareness != rising numbers. – DevSolar Jul 04 '16 at 08:49
  • Understand me correctly. Pollution *is* an issue, and one we (as a civilisation) need to address. But I feel as if your concerns come from a very specific angle -- contraception / homosexuality -- that I don't really care for, as I have witnessed too much psychological scarring resulting from mindsets like that. Note the [link](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6082152) given by DavePhD -- there are pollutions *unrelated* to contraception that affect animal gender expression as well, and I would suspect they are both more frequent *and* on a much larger scale... – DevSolar Jul 04 '16 at 09:08
  • @DevSolar, it is one of the people's opinion, not necessarily what I believe. Anyway, that is not a question, only a footnote so please refrain from commenting or discussing. Maybe I/you can write a new question regarding that. – Grasper Jul 11 '16 at 12:43
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    Indeed it would be better as a separate question, if you want to make that point at all. Maklng it as a footnote, as you did, turning every answer confirming the effect of this particular compound in this particular species of fish into a "proof" of your footnote, is what I was taking exception at. No more, no less. – DevSolar Jul 11 '16 at 17:56
  • Given the comments about the homosexuality, a reference that this is a *main claim* would be wise. I have never read one. –  Sep 06 '16 at 09:40
  • Some of everything is in everything; without an amount it's pretty much a meaningless claim – Richard Tingle Sep 10 '16 at 21:33

1 Answers1

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Yes, trace amounts of birth control medications, other medications, and household and industrial chemicals are really present in drinking water.

According to the US Geological Survey study Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Wastewater Contaminants in U.S. Streams, 1999-2000: A National Reconnaissance

Birth control hormones found in US streams include:

ethynyl estradiol

19-norethisterone

and Mestranol

See also the Scientific American article Can Birth Control Hormones Be Filtered from the Water Supply?

It is true that trace amounts of birth control and other medications—as well as household and industrial chemicals of every stripe—are present in many urban and suburban water supplies around the country

pericles316
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DavePhD
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  • crazy, what is the best water purifier that removes it? Do you know what should I look for when getting a purifier? – Grasper Jul 01 '16 at 15:43
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    "only those employing reverse osmosis have been shown to filter out some drugs". Thanks, that answers my question. – Grasper Jul 01 '16 at 16:27
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    I'd like to see this answer discuss the "But are my worries actually rational..." part of the question. Are these levels dangerous? Do we know? – DampeS8N Jul 01 '16 at 16:52
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    @DampeS8N Fish are known to be severely affected (eggs forming in their testicles). But it don't think affects are proven in humans http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6082152 – DavePhD Jul 01 '16 at 17:29
  • A very good link, that last one; the expert on interview there makes it clear that 1) certain fish are *much* more sensitive to such pollutions than others, or humans; and 2) there are other contaminants with similar effects (pulp mills dumping chlorine compounds and dioxines into rivers, for example). I second @DampeS8N here... – DevSolar Jul 04 '16 at 09:11
  • @Grasper, distillation should also work, but I don't know of any commercial system that uses it. – Mark Jul 11 '16 at 05:39
  • @DampeS8N, it's clear that today's rivers, water banks are dirty. So it's better safe than sorry. – Grasper Jul 11 '16 at 12:38
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    @Grasper I can haz evidence plz? – DampeS8N Jul 12 '16 at 19:25