BOSTON -- An investigation by Team 5 Investigates found that while we don't expect our drinking water to be a cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs and personal care products, it could be. NewsCenter 5's Sean Kelly reported that scientists in New England are concerned about what is ending up in the water and that the state has not prescribed any solutions.

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The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority said Sunday that testing done on its water system showed it's clean, however of concern is what has been discovered in some of the state's other water sources.

Whenever you swallow your medication, soap up in the shower or clean out your medicine chest, you flush the excess down the drain. From there, it rushes through pipes and back into our rivers where fish swim in traces of Tylenol, Prozac, even birth control pills. "You are basically involuntarily taking medications that perhaps you are unaware of," said Dr. Marc Zimmerman of the U.S. Geological Services.

Very small traces of antibiotics, anti-depressants, even steroids are coming right out of some kitchen taps. And while state and federal authorities know about it, nothing is being done to stop it.

"There's unfortunately a significant lag time between recognition of the problem and any sort of governmental action," said Dr. Max Essex. Essex is worried his drinking water could be contaminated and fears the problem will only get worse after a nursing home is built next to his home in Sharon. "I know the risks are definitely being understated," said Essex.

Right now, government researchers at the United States Geologic Survey offices in Northboro, Massachusetts, are trying to determine exactly what those risks are, along with the specific types of contaminants that are ending up in some water. "It really is a concern," said Zimmerman.

Team 5 Investigates obtained the results of a 2004 USGS study that showed small amounts of 43 different kinds of drugs and personal care products found in water supplies on Cape Cod. "Things like painkillers, relaxants, various psychological drugs," said Zimmerman.

Prior to that, traces of drugs were discovered in the water of several cities and towns along the Concord, Assabet, Sudbury, Merrimack and Blackstone rivers. But because of the cost, that testing was limited and the results were never made public despite the fact that taxpayers footed the bill. "There's a bit of confidentiality in these studies so we don't go out and give the location where samples were collected necessarily without permission from the water supplier," said Zimmerman.

But when it's a matter of public health, why not? "Again, we wouldn't even be getting those samples without that kind of confidentiality with the water suppliers," said Zimmerman.

The pharmaceutical industry downplays the risks, stating the amount of medication in the water supply is the equivalent of a single pill in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. But scientists in other parts of the country have seen effects on animals, including male fish that developed female traits and reproductive problems because of birth control hormones in the water. "We really don't know what the effects of very low concentrations are on humans," said Zimmerman. And Dr. Buzz Cue, a former research director for Pfizer, believes scientists are a long way off from finding that out. "We don't have any way of assessing how 50 or 60 different drugs can, could interact together," said Cue.

Communities most likely to find traces of drugs turning up in their water are those that get their drinking water from rivers downstream of wastewater treatment plants, like Andover, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen and Tewksbury.

So why not just treat the water to get rid of these chemicals in the first place? " There's no regulations through the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Environmental Protection that require us to test for these compounds or to treat for these compounds," said Phil Guerin of the Massachusetts Water Works Association.

And therein lies the problem. While the Environmental Protection Agency sets the standards for drinking water, it's impossible for scientists outside the Food and Drug Administration to do any real analysis on how much of a drug actually enters the environment. What's worse, according to the Massachusetts Water Works Association, is the state's plan to recycle this contaminated water back into the rivers and ultimately the water supply. "You don't want your wastewater to go where your water supply comes from. I really think they need to give this policy a second look before they do something we're all going to regret," said Guerin.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection refused Team 5 Investigates' repeated requests for an on-camera interview. So did, Ian Bowles, the state's secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, who Team 5 eventually tracked down.

Kelly: "Is the state going to keep its policy to recycle wastewater in light of reports that water could be contaminated?"

Bowles: "Well, so, we've been looking at it at DEP; it's an important issue that's been raised and we're evaluating it at this stage."

Kelly: "Are you concerned, though, without much testing being done that the water could be a problem?"

Bowles: "Well, so far so good. DEP has done some work on this topic.

Kelly: " How much work, though?"

Bowles: " Well, I'd send you down to DEP to talk to you."

Both the secretary and DEP Commissioner dodged questions.

Kelly: " At this point, there's no urgency in what could be in the water?"

Bowles: " I would not want to say to your viewers that there's no urgency.If we need to change our protocols, we'll be doing that."

Given the state's track record on this issue, don't expect action any time soon. Massachusetts is relying on the federal government for guidance and right now Congress is investigating its handling of this very issue.