Water flowing through one of America's most iconic landscapes is carrying traces of something decidedly un-grand: drug residue and so-called forever chemicals. A new study by the US Geological Survey and National Park Service found multiple contaminants in springs along the Grand Canyon's South Rim, including Bright Angel Wash, Monument Spring, and Upper Horn Bedrock Spring, per Outside. Monument Spring, which flows into the Colorado River, contained low levels of several pharmaceuticals—including an antibiotic, an antifungal medication, an antidepressant, and a diabetes drug—likely tied to treated wastewater from the nearby South Rim Wastewater Treatment Plant making its way back into the canyon's groundwater system.
Researchers also detected several PFAS compounds, the long-lasting chemicals used in products like nonstick pans and waterproof jackets and linked to health issues such as cancer and fertility problems. None of the pharmaceutical levels exceeded existing drinking-water standards, but the report notes that most of the substances detected don't have federal limits, leaving regulators without clear thresholds for what's considered safe. SFGate notes that the water samples were taken in the spring of 2021.
Environmental advocates say much of the concern focuses on long-term exposure, especially for wildlife that relies on these desert springs. Amphibians, including frogs and salamanders, may be particularly vulnerable because PFAS and some pharmaceuticals can interfere with hormones and reproduction, says Mike Fiebig of the nonprofit American Rivers. Backcountry visitors drawing drinking water from the springs may also be ingesting the cocktail—albeit at low levels—because standard wastewater plants are built to remove germs, not complex chemicals.
Fixing the problem won't be easy or cheap. Advanced treatment technologies exist but are costly, and the National Park Service is already facing budget constraints from federal cuts. Fiebig says treated wastewater is likely migrating through the Bright Angel Fault back to the springs; rerouting that flow might be possible but could simply shift the contamination elsewhere.
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