The medications may be divided into over-the-counter drugs (OTC) which may be available without special restrictions, and prescription only medicine (POM), which must be prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner in Colorado Springs and can be purchased from a pharmaceutical company under the retail shops.
Most pharmaceuticals are deposited in the environment through human consumption and excretion, and are often filtered ineffectively by waste water treatment plants which are not designed to manage them. Pharmaceuticals may also be deposited in the environment through improper disposal, runoff from sludge fertilizer and reclaimed wastewater irrigation, and leaky sewage in Colorado Springs.
