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Gender bender chemical atrazine widely contaminates U.S. public water supply

Emerging research increasingly indicates that the U.S. water supply is widely contaminated with the endocrine disrupting chemical atrazine, but that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking almost no action on the threat.

Atrazine is an herbicide widely sprayed on corn fields in the Midwest, and one of the most widely detected groundwater contaminants in the country. According to an analysis of state and federal records by the Chicago Tribune, atrazine has been detected in the drinking water of a million people in 60 Illinois communities over the past four years. Yet the EPA requires testing for the chemical only four times a year, meaning that short-term spikes of the toxin go undetected — and unregulated. [...]

University of Minnesota Researchers Use New Technology to Check Lake Water For Contaminants

Thousands of Minnesotans will hit the lakes and rivers this Memorial Day weekend, but chances are they don’t know much about the water they’re boating or swimming in.

That may change thanks to cutting edge technology developed by University of Minnesota researchers.

You could soon be able check water temperatures, pollution levels and other contaminants with the click of a mouse.
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Minnesota Officials Warn of Well Water Contamination During Floods

Minnesota health officials are warning that contaminated private water wells will be a major concern during flooding predicted for the Red River Valley and surrounding areas. [...]

Hospitals Flush 250 Million Pounds of Expired Drugs Into Public Sewers Every Year

The Associated Press (AP) estimates that hospitals and long-term medical care institutions across the United States are dumping 250 million pounds of pharmacologically active drugs directly into public sewer systems each year.

Drugs in Drinking Water

Because the government does not require health institutions to keep records on their disposal of pharmaceutical products, there are [...]