<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> 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