According to a survey done by data analytics firm Morning Consult on behalf of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), over three-quarters of consumers believe that the tap water in their home is safe and nearly 80% believe that their water utility is trustworthy.
1,977 Americans who use water utilities participated in the “Public Perceptions of Tap Water” poll conducted in June 2022.
The most recent study revealed that one-third of respondents were having trouble paying their water bill on time, an increase of 8% from June 2021 due to rising inflation in the United States.
The increase in the consumer price index from June 2021 to June 2022 was 9.1%.
This poll was done between June 22 and June 23, 2022, and it represents a sample of 1,977 Americans who use a public water supply.
Online interviews were held for these studies.
The margin of error for the overall survey’s results is plus or minus 2 percentage points.
A comparable study conducted in June 2021 revealed that almost the same percentage of respondents—roughly 70%—rated the water quality at their faucet as excellent or good.
However, compared to June 2021, more Black adults evaluated their water as “unsafe” and fewer regarded it as “safe” (6 percent fall).
Additionally, compared to White people (16%), Black adults (26%) and Hispanic adults (22%) were more likely to say that their water supply has become safer in the last five years.
It’s encouraging to see that the vast majority of consumers have faith in their water utility and tap water, according to AWWA CEO David LaFrance.
“At the same time, we still have work to do to build and sustain trust in tap water, particularly in areas where there have historically been disparities.
The importance of concentrating on underprivileged areas has increased as problems with affordability have grown.
77% of those surveyed said they have “a lot” or “some” trust in their water company.
The respondents who knew that their utility regularly tested the quality of the water they provided indicated a far higher level of trust than the respondents who didn’t.
Seventy-three percent of respondents said they are generally happy with the water.
However, for individuals who acknowledged frequent testing, that percentage increased to 88 percent.
The majority of respondents—roughly three-fourths—state that the water coming from their faucet generally, extremely, or somewhat meets their expectations.
Since the study in June 2021, respondents’ satisfaction with their water utility has risen by 4%.
The majority of respondents—3/4—support extending Congressional aid to help people who might not otherwise be able to pay their water bills.
Support for this strategy is expressed by respondents from all major demographic groups, with Black respondents expressing the strongest support.
Low-income, Black and Hispanic respondents describe their problem with paying a water bill the most.
Source: Morning Consult
