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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-converted-space><span style='background:white'>For water quality focused folks, I just ran across a 2011 GAO report I’d forgotten about. It called for interagency federal actions on pharmaceuticals in drinking water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-converted-space><span style='background:white'><a href="http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-346"><span style='color:windowtext'>http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-346</span></a> </span></span>Action Needed to Sustain Agencies’ Collaboration on Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water<span class=apple-converted-space><span style='background:white'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-converted-space><span style='background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'>This September, it will be 5 years since this report came out. What has been done in five years? Was an interagency working group ever formed? Was any funding available?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'>The FDA continues to assert the need for its “flush list” for disposal of highly dangerous medicines, much to the ire of local water agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'>Wouldn’t it be ironic if the DEA is the federal agency that’s done the most on reducing pharms in drinking water by writing their rule?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='background:white'>The report’s exec summary said: “Some states and local governments as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration have taken actions that could reduce the extent to which pharmaceuticals occur in drinking water. These efforts have primarily been through drug take-back programs to encourage proper control and disposal of pharmaceuticals.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'>And of course there’s so much more to do in making drug take-back programs accessible in every community!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'>Perhaps there’s a hook in this 5 year mark. TIme to call for real action on pharmaceuticals and drinking water quality.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-weight:normal'>A report to point out to EPA as they hurry to address the lead in drinking water crisis and develop a NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER</span></strong><b><span style='background:white'>, </span></b><span style='background:white'>see https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2016/04/moving-forward-for-americas-drinking-water/<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif'>Margaret Shield, PhD</span></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif'>Community Environmental Health Strategies, LLC</span></i></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:margaret.shield@CEHstrategies.com"><span style='color:blue'>margaret.shield@CEHstrategies.com</span></a></span></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif'>mobile: 206-499-5452</span></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>