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Worried about my drinking water if that fish had so many drugs in its system | Letters
Here’s what readers are saying in Tuesday’s letters to the editor.
 
Chlorinated water flows over a weir at the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Tampa.
Chlorinated water flows over a weir at the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Tampa.
Published March 22, 2022

What’s in the water?

Prescription drugs contaminate the fish we eat, study concludes | March 6

Finding 16 pharmaceutical drugs in one bonefish from South Florida is alarming and deeply troubling, especially in light of all of the pharmaceuticals, hormones and other chemicals that are present in our wastewater, coupled with the full-court press from state and local officials to make us use recycled wastewater so that the state can continue to grow and grow.

My doctor has a sign in her office that asks all of her patients to bring in their prescription bottles so she can evaluate whether there are any drugs that might interfere with each other. This story shows that Tampa, with its PURE project, must remove all of these pharmaceuticals and hormones and other “forever chemicals” from the wastewater before mixing it with our drinking water or putting it into the aquifer or the Hillsborough River. Otherwise, when my doctor asks, “Are these all of the drugs that you are currently taking?” I’ll have to answer, “Sorry, I don’t know, I drink City of Tampa water.”

Gary Gibbons, St. Petersburg

Let the kids just learn

I object to ‘don’t say gay’ bill as a lesbian mom — and as a conservative | Column, March 20

I am ashamed by both sides of the so-called “don’t say gay” legislation. I have a grandson in third grade and a granddaughter in fourth grade. I seriously doubt either one cares about these topics either way. They are more interested in video games, soccer, Barbie and just having fun. In 1980 I carpooled with a man who had two neighbors who were white and had adopted a Black child. He said how wonderful it was that his children and those of the neighborhood just accepted the child and included him in all of their activities. It was the parents who took sides and tried to make it a big deal. I think this is the same now. Let kids be kids while we concentrate more on reading, writing and arithmetic, and let the teachers work with the parents if and when these issues arise.

Tom Craig, Riverview

Glad it’s Biden

On Ukraine, history is listening |Column, March 21

Although I’ve never been a fan of Peggy Noonan, her reprinted Wall Street Journal column was dead on. My first thought after reading it was how glad I was the last guy in power is no longer occupying the White House.

Brian Walkowiak, Saint Petersburg