This warning comes from Professor Suranie Horn of North-West University, who says the country’s wastewater systems are not designed to remove pharmaceutical residues, putting aquatic ecosystems at particular risk.

“This is not a once-off exposure like taking a headache tablet, these drugs enter our water systems every day, all year round,” Horn said. “The continuous presence of these compounds can disrupt aquatic life and poses a chronic contamination problem.”

The university’s research, conducted across 72 sites in Gauteng and North West Province, found measurable traces of HIV treatment drugs, including Lopinavir and Efavirenz, downstream of wastewater treatment plants and even in tap water. While concentrations in drinking water are low and considered safe for now, the long-term impact on the environment is more alarming.

“Wastewater plants were never built to filter out ARVs or other pharmaceuticals like antibiotics or hormones. This contamination is constant, and the ecological consequences are still not fully understood,” Horn said.

The study links the contamination to human waste, poor sanitation, and the improper disposal of unused medicines. Researchers say the findings point to an urgent need for wastewater system upgrades and stricter rules around pharmaceutical disposal.

Horn further warned that without action, vulnerable groups, especially children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, could face heightened risks in the future due to chronic low-level exposure. “If we don’t address this now, it could become a far greater health issue down the line,” she said.

--ChannelAfrica--