U.S. Water News Online
LISLE, Ill. -- Few things are as essential in our lives as water. Yet three-quarters of American adults have concerns about their household water supply, and one in three respondents in a national survey does not believe his or her water supply is as safe as it should be.
According to the 1997 National Consumer Water Quality Survey, one out of five Americans is dissatisfied with the quality of his/her household water supply. Adults between the ages of 18 and 34 show significant increases in their level of dissatisfaction, which indicates a broader public scrutiny of water quality across age brackets. Nearly half of those surveyed (47 percent) claim to want additional information about their water, yet 23 percent do not know who to contact to obtain that information.
Commissioned by the Water Quality Association (WQA), the national survey analyzed respondents' perceptions about their household water supply and consumers' purchase activity in the home water treatment industry.
"The research findings demonstrate a continuing level of concern among American consumers about the quality of their water supply," said Peter Censky, WQA executive director. "The encouraging thing to note is that while consumers are voicing concerns, they also have more options to help treat their household water."
One-third of consumers surveyed currently use a home water treatment device other than bottled water, an increase from 27 percent in 1995. The purchase of water treatment equipment at department/discount stores has tripled since 1995 (up from 7 percent to 21 percent in 1995), and the use of "entry-level" devices, such as pour-through water pitchers with filters, has grown more than any other type of water treatment device on the market. In addition, households earning between $15,000 and $25,000 were nearly 2.5 times more likely to purchase water treatment equipment than two years ago.
Consumers continue to purchase most home water treatment devices from local water treatment dealers, but his year's study does show a slight shift in the marketplace.
"This year's survey supports a growth trend we've seen in the water treatment marketplace," said Censky. "The industry has expanded the number of water quality solutions by offering more entry-level products such as table-top, filtered pitchers and has made home water treatment devices more accessible through the department/discount outlets."
The 1997 National Consumer Water Quality Survey of 1003 adults was conducted nationally from April 3-6, 1997 by Opinion Research Corporation International of Princeton, New Jersey, an independent research firm.
The water Quality Association is an international trade association representing retailers, dealers, manufactures and suppliers in the household, commercial, industrial, and small system water treatment industry.
A summary fact sheet and complete findings of the survey are available from WQA by contacting Carlyn Meyer at (630) 505-0160
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