Chlorine in Sewage Treatment Could Promote Antibiotic Resistance

Chlorine, may be failing to eliminate pharmaceuticals from wastes. As a result, trace levels are discharged from the plants into waterways. Scientists are now reporting that chlorine treatment may encourage the formation of new, unknown antibiotics that could enter the environment, potentially contributing to the problem of antibiotic resistance.

Pharmaceuticals leaching into Groundwater

Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants from treated municipal wastewater can travel into shallow groundwater following their release to streams, according to a recent USGS study. The research was conducted at Fourmile Creek, a small, wastewater-dominated stream near Des Moines, Iowa.