Director says water is safe

“We’ve been watching this story closely,” she said, adding that residents should properly dispose of their medications. Many people flush old pills down their toilets, she said.

According to UC Irvine Professor of Public Health Oladele Ogunseitan, the real danger lies in the fact that no one really knows what public health ramifications these minute traces of pharmaceuticals could have.

“Some people are taking medications that these chemicals may interact with, and it’s simply not advisable to expose everyone to them,” he said.

Ogunseitan said local agencies should begin looking into outfitting their operations with methods to perform reverse osmosis on the water — one of the few chemical processes that would clean the water of such traces, though Myrter said the cost for the Metropolitan Water District would be astronomical — in the billions.

Despite the promises of officials, some residents are still concerned about the state of the area’s drinking water.

Those interested in learning how to safely dispose of their prescription medications can consult information available at http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPIE/HealthCare/PPCP.htm#WhereHGP

CHRIS CAESAR may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at chris.caesar@latimes.com. BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.