Appendix: EWG survey: At least 50 percent of people surveyed think tap water is unsafe

Questions in EWG’s April 2022 tap water survey for Tap Water Database visitors

Question 1. In your opinion, is the water from your tap safe for drinking?

Answer choices

Percent

Number

No

51.1%

1423

Yes

27.3%

761

Don’t know

21.5%

599

 

Answered

2783

 

Skipped

19

Question 2. Do you drink the tap water in your home?

Answer choices

Percent

Number

No

40.0%

1114

Yes, after filtering

34.5%

959

Yes, straight from the tap

25.5%

710

 

Answered

2783

 

Skipped

19

Question 3. Where does your tap water come from?

Answer choices

Percent

Number

     

Local water utility

69.6%

1930

Please specify name of local water utility or water system, if known

 

927

Don’t know

20.4%

565

Private well on my property

7.2%

199

None of the above

2.9%

79

 

Answered

2773

 

Skipped

29

Question 4. What is your primary source of information about tap water quality?

Answer choices

Percent

Number

Water quality reports from utility

25.5%

529

Family and friends

18.6%

386

Social media

15.3%

317

Other (please specify)

14.2%

295

Local government or health agencies

11.6%

241

Local or community-based news article or TV

9.9%

205

National news article or TV reports

4.9%

101

 

Answered

2074

 

Skipped

728

Top 20 words reported in the “Other” option of Question 4 .

 

Percent of responses

Frequency of responses

water

14.2%

42

none

12.2%

36

tested

9.2%

27

EWG

8.8%

26

research

8.5%

25

taste

6.4%

19

smell

3.7%

11

internet

3.4%

10

reports

2.7%

8

work

2.4%

7

source

2.4%

7

website

2.0%

6

trust

2.0%

6

drink

1.7%

5

know

1.7%

5

lab

1.7%

5

don't know

1.4%

4

Google

1.4%

4

n/a

1.4%

4

podcasts

1.4%

4

Question 5. What is your ZIP code?

 

Answered

1804

 

Skipped

998

Question 6. To the best of your knowledge, who sets limits for pollutants in your drinking water? (Select all that apply)

Answer choices

Percent

Number

Not sure

46.0%

964

Environmental Protection Agency

34.4%

722

The state I reside in

22.0%

461

My water utility

17.2%

360

Food and Drug Administration

7.9%

166

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

6.1%

127

There is no regulation of chemicals in my tap water

4.5%

94

 

Answered

2098

 

Skipped

704

Question 7. If you had/have concerns about your tap water, how have/would you address them? (Select all that you have done or would do)

Answer choices

Percent

Number

Purchase and/or install a filter

55.8%

1153

Drink bottled water

42.2%

872

Contact my water system or government officials

40.5%

836

Post to social media such as Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

11.1%

230

Join or work with a local group

7.7%

158

I would not do anything

4.1%

85

 

Answered

2065

 

Skipped

737