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Consumer survey results upbeat for filtered, bottled water

LISLE, IL — The Water Quality Association (WQA) has received the latest survey results concerning use of filtered and bottled water, and the outlook is upbeat, according to the WQA website .

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commissioned the Gallup Organization to conduct a nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 households.

The report, Analysis and Findings of The Gallup Organization's Drinking Water Customer Survey , used data from the biennial WQA National Consumer Water Quality Surveys from 1995 through 2001 to benchmark and follow trends.

The survey assessed:
1. General drinking water consumer knowledge,
2. Water use behavior,
3. Public confidence with information sources and
4. Value placed on EPA's right-to-know efforts.

Survey findings confirmed that Americans recognize the importance of receiving information on their drinking water and do value being informed, the EPA reported.

Ninety-four percent (which equates to 264 million people) were able to identify whether they were on a community water system (CWS) or a private well, while 19 percent said they owned private wells, the study showed.

Seventy-five percent stated they obtained water from water suppliers, while 82 percent drink tap water. Thirty-seven percent reported using a filtering or treatment device.

While use of filtered water was found to be 37 percent nationally in this study, it also found that bottled water use continues to rise. It's interesting to note that the increased use of bottled water may be a result of a consumer shift away from soft drinks and other beverages, the WQA reported.

In its survey summary, EPA states that some Americans may be taking "unnecessary and costly precautions." They go on, "To increase public trust, it is critical that water systems, states and federal entities utilize all outreach mechanisms available to continue to promote dialogue, raise awareness, and promote confidence."