It was reported earlier today that our drinking water here in the United States is tainted with various pharmaceuticals (http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/03/10/pharma.water1.ap/index.html).

I wonder if this is really a newsworthy story, or if the amount found is so minimal that it really is a non-issue?  Quite honestly, I don't think it really matters, as something needs to be done.  The United States sets records each year with the amount of prescription medication that is prescribed to patients by their doctors.  With so many prescription pills on the market, that means the more that get dumped down the drain or pass through one's system into the water supply.  Who is to blame - the pharmaceutical companies? Doctors? Patients?  The answer to that is really off topic and off forum, BUT, with that said, are there any current, new, or emerging technologies in the water/wastewater engineering industry that can prevent this contamination from occuring?