ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority this month launched proactive efforts to ensure the safety of its source water and treated water by looking for pharmaceuticals, according to a September 1 Associated Press story.
The authority draws drinking water from the Rio Grande, a major river in the Southwest. Recent water quality sampling detected caffeine in the Rio Grande and trace levels of pharmaceuticals in the Rio Grande Valley’s irrigation system.
In an effort to measure potential contamination from pharmaceuticals in the Rio Grande, the authority is testing in parts per trillion for both raw and treated versions of drinking water and wastewater. As part of the program, the authority also is launching a consumer education campaign for Albuquerque residents on how to properly dispose of old and unwanted medications.
Alan Armijo, chairman of the Bernalillo County Commission and vice chair of the water authority, is quoted saying, “It’s our life line here and we are now using it for drinking water and we don’t want it polluted downstream or here.”
The water authority also will participate in a yearlong study by the Water Research Foundation to evaluate the effectiveness of specific filter techniques to remove pharmaceuticals from water.