Bulletin Board

American Water Works Association

Public Affairs Advisory

August 12, 1999

National Environment Education & Training Foundation
Report Card on Safe Drinking Water Attitudes, Knowledge and Behaviors

The national Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) has released its Report Card on Safe Drinking Water, Attitudes, Knowledge and Behaviors for 1998. The Report Card is based upon a 21 question survey that was intended to gauge consumer’s water use, feelings about water quality, interest in information distributed about water quality, their trust in that information and in its suppliers. The results of the survey postulate the following:

•  75 percent of the public receives their tap water from either public or private water companies.
•  91 percent cook with tap water and 75 percent drink it.
•  The top reason for consumers to drink bottled water or to use filers, distillation or boiling techniques was the physical appearanceof their tap water (taste, smell and color). The second most popular reason was pollution stories in the press.
•  76 percent of those surveyed said they were either “very concerned” or “moderately concerned” about the quality and safety of their tap water.
•  61 percent of respondents get their information on water quality from the media. 34 percent get it from their water company.
•  73 percent of respondents said they read information they receive about water quality either “always” or “sometimes.”
•  58 percent are either “very satisfied” or “moderately satisfied” with the quality of information they receive. 40 percent were unsatisfied.
•  72 percent of those surveyed consider environmental or public interest groups believe sources of information on water quality. 58 percent found their water company to be believable.
•  67 percent responded that they were willing to work with their community to protect more land so as to protect water sources from pollution. 51 percent were willing to pay a higher water bill to upgrade treatment.

From these responses, water utilities can presume that their customers are concerned about the quality of their tap water and would read information presented to them from their water company. Considering only 1/3 of all the information received by consumers on water quality comes from water utilities, it is also clear that a need for more information from water utilities is necessary.

As water utilities continue to put their Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs) together, AWWA encourages them to consider both the public interest in water quality and the public’s perception that utilities are not providing enough information for them. Although CCRs are a good start at education consumers about water quality and the work utilities do to maintain and improve water quality standards, they are still just a start. As the primary providers of safe water, water utilities, not the media or environmental groups, are best equipped to discuss water quality issues with their customers. 

Reprinted from AWWA Public Affairs Advisory dated August 5, 1999

It is not known if any residents from the Salt Lake City area were surveyed by NEETF


Currently Salt Lake City is distributing 120,000 “Consumer Confidence Reports” to its customers with its service area. Consumers are encouraged to carefully read the Report and call the Department of Public Utilities to ask questions about the Report and its contents.

To ask questions regarding this subject by e-mail please send to: leroy.hooton@ci.slc.ut.us  or florence.reynolds@ci.slc.ut.us