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I recently read an interesting article in the Toronto
Star entitled "Everyday products may foul tap water"
(The Toronto Star, Ontario ed. NEWS, Wednesday,
September 5, 2001, p. NE06).  Health Canada is
commencing environmental tests in order to see exactly
what is in tap water:

"Antibiotics, antidepressants, blood pressure drugs,
aspirin and hormones from birth control pills have all
been detected in effluent, as well as in lakes and
rivers near sewage plants."

Environment Canada is concerned about the health
effects of pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals, being
present in tap water.  The article goes on to say that
80% of most pharmaceuticals are excreted by the body,
and that residues survive the sewage treatment:

"Tests have also found traces of caffeine and nicotine
excreted by people in water. There are also concerns
about chemicals in shampoo."

The article also makes mention of products going
straight down the drain, and that made me wonder about
pasta water, from not gluten-free pasta, bread crumbs,
not gluten-free chemicals, etc.

The article does make it clear that it is unknown as
to whether these products are in Canadian tap water
and they do not know if there are an effects on
humans:

"As well, there's new evidence that even very low
doses can have effects on developing organisms. One
study, for example, found young Atlantic salmon
exposed to a chemical that acts like estrogen, had
their ability to adapt to salt water impaired.

"Scientists also have questions about what happens
when there's a soup of different substances combining
in the water, and whether medications in water could
harm people allergic to drugs such as penicillin.

"There's also concern that the release of large
amounts of antibiotics used both by people and in farm
animals into the environment could help create
drug-resistant bacteria."

The state of Canadian water has been a big issue
recently because of several deaths caused by e-coli
contamination.

I will be happy to summarize, if anyone has comments
related to gluten finding its way into tap water.

brian