Mistrust at the tap? Factors contributing to public drinking water (mis)perception across US households

How individuals perceive the safety of their public drinking water influences whether they reach for the tap to quench their thirst, or an alternative such as bottled water or a sugary drink. In turn, mistrust of drinking water quality and subsequent reliance on alternative beverage sources can adversely impact health, welfare and the environment. Using data from the 2013 American Housing Survey, we provide the first national, rigorous assessment of individuals’ perception of their public drinking water supply. We found strong evidence that perception of water quality is most influenced by individual and household indicators of socioeconomic status – education level, household income, racial or ethnic minority status, and most importantly foreign-born nativity, especially from Latin America. By contrast, our findings provide little indication that perception is tied to known built environment or neighborhood risk factors affecting water safety and quality. We outline the implications of our findings for proponents of enhanced tap water consumption, including public drinking water systems, county public health agencies, and particularly for environmental justice non-profits.

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Consumer water quality evaluation of private and public drinking water sources

Journal of Water and Health ◽

10.2166/wh.2018.206 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 369-379 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Drew M. Gholson ◽

Diane E. Boellstorff ◽

Scott R. Cummings ◽

Kevin L. Wagner ◽

Monty C. Dozier

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Tap Water ◽

Public Attitudes ◽

Primary Source ◽

Sample Survey ◽

Water Wells ◽

Public Drinking Water ◽

Private And Public ◽

Using Data

Abstract Private water wells have no requirements to be tested or monitored to ensure safe drinking water quality, and yet those receiving their primary drinking water from private supplies are more frequently confident that their tap drinking water is safe. Using data from surveys administered in 2008 and 2014, this study assesses public attitudes and perceptions regarding drinking water. This study examines the results of a random sample survey of Texans to evaluate citizen awareness and attitudes on water issues. Most respondents reported that they believe their drinking water is of high quality, with 81.4% responding that they believe their tap water is safe to drink. An even larger number, 92.1%, of those receiving their water from private sources believe their tap water is safe. Conversely, only 57.0% of respondents who consume bottled water as their primary source of drinking water believe their tap water is safe to drink. Additionally, more than 65% of Texans receiving their primary drinking water from private supplies (usually their private water well) have never had their water supply tested. A large majority (81.3%) of those primarily receiving their drinking water from private supplies believed groundwater in their area to be of good or excellent quality.

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The Effects of Chlorinated Drinking Water on the Assembly of the Intestinal Microbiome

Challenges ◽

10.3390/challe10010010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David Martino

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Distribution System ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Tap Water ◽

Effective Means ◽

Intestinal Microbiome ◽

Ecological Disturbance ◽

Public Drinking Water ◽

Public Drinking ◽

The Individual

This concept paper discusses the potential impact of chlorinated public drinking water on the assembly of the intestinal microbiome in infancy. The addition of chlorine or hypochlorite to metropolitan drinking water is routinely used worldwide as a sanitizer because of its potent anti-microbial properties. It is one of the most effective means of delivering safe drinkable water because it produces a residual disinfectant that persists within the distribution system. Levels of chlorine used to treat metropolitan water are considered safe for the individual, based on toxicity studies. However, to our knowledge there have been no studies examining whether levels of persistent chlorine exposure from tap water are also safe for the ecosystem of microorganisms that colonize the gastrointestinal tract. Given the importance of the microbiome in health, persistent exposure to low levels of chlorine may be a hitherto unrecognized risk factor for gut dysbiosis, which has now been linked to virtually every chronic non-communicable disease of the modern era. Although effects may be subtle, young children and infants are more susceptible to ecological disturbance, given that the microbiome is highly influenced by environmental factors during this period. Here I outline considerations for the safety of water disinfectants not just in terms of toxicity to the host, but also for the ecosystem of microorganisms that inhabit us. Research in this is likely to bear fruitful information that could either bring attention to this issue, potentially driving new innovations in public water management; or could help confirm the safety profile of chlorine levels in public drinking water.

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