The Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities does not test for pharmaceuticals in its drinking water, saying that to do so would go beyond state and federal regulations and would be "very expensive."

"We feel like our water is safe," DPU spokesman Randy Etters said. "We test based on Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

"By far and away we already exceed all the state and federal mandates in terms of water quality. Our history backs that up."

An Associated Press study released last week revealed antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones were found in the drinking water of 41 million Americans. Typically drugs enter the water by people taking pills which are absorbed by their bodies, pass through and are flushed down the toilet.

The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into streams or rivers. The water is then cleansed at treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments don't remove all drug residue.

Many independent scientists are skeptical that trace concentrations will prove harmful to humans.

Etters said the utility will continue to keep up with the latest news reports and determine if it is feasible to test for pharmaceuticals. The health of utility customers is of paramount importance, he said.

He noted many of the contaminants reportedly originated from a byproduct of wastewater discharge into streams. The nearest wastewater plant upstream from Orangeburg is in Batesburg.

Etters also said that the concentrations of pharmaceuticals noted in news reports are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose.

"Such a microscopic amount takes sophisticated equipment to (check)," he said.

In fact, Etters said because of the uncommon nature of the test -- AP reports that of the 62 major water providers contacted during its study, only 28 had their water tested for pharmaceuticals -- it will be something the utility will look at closely.

Cities as Houston, Chicago, Miami and New York City's Department of Environmental Protection do not conduct such tests.

DPU's water treatment plant processes upward of 19 million gallons a day. A staff of about a dozen employees are responsible for making sure that clean drinking water is readily available to DPU customers every second of every day, Etters said.

It includes operators, who work 12-hour rotating shifts, to ensure everything is running smoothly and to keep an eye on every stage of treatment. They run tests hourly, for example, to ensure chemicals are being added to the water in the right concentrations. Maintenance personnel, a lab analyst and a water quality specialist keep tabs on quality control.

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551.

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