Tap water survey finds communication key to consumer perception of safety

Consumers who remember receiving a recent communication from their water utilities are more than three times as likely to report their tap water’s safety has improved, according to a survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

The May 2023 poll called “Public Perceptions of Tap Water” generated responses from 2,022 adults served by water utilities in the United States. This was the fourth annual nationwide survey produced for AWWA.

Seventy-one percent of respondents view their home’s tap water as safe, which is consistent with last year’s June 2022 survey response. Nineteen percent of respondents indicated they felt their tap water is unsafe, which is consistent with levels measured over the last two years. About one-quarter of Black respondents (23%) and Hispanic respondents (25%) report feeling their tap water is unsafe, compared to 18% percent of White respondents. These results are similar to those from the 2022 survey.

Those who recall receiving communication are 36% more likely to be aware of their utility’s efforts to improve water quality/clarity, as well as to know their tap water meets or exceeds federal or state requirements.

Affordability remains a significant issue among respondents, many of whom reported they struggle to pay their water bill on time. In the 2023 survey, this included half of respondents ages 35-44 (51%), two-in-five respondents ages 18-34 (41%), urban respondents (43%), Hispanic respondents (42%), and respondents who personally pay their water bills (39%). Compared to the 2022 survey, six percent more White respondents (37%) report struggling to pay their water bill on time. Additionally, two percent fewer Hispanic respondents (42%) and seven percent fewer Black respondents (37%) report struggling to pay their water bill on time compared to last year’s survey.

“This survey reinforces prior years’ results showing that memorable communications and knowledge of water testing frequency both reinforce positive attitudes toward tap water,” said Matthew Junker, public relations specialist for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and a representative from the Public Affairs Council on the project’s steering committee.

A written and visual summary of the survey results are available on AWWA’s Value of Water page.