National Study of Consumers’ Opinions & Perceptions ...conducted by Applied Research- West,...

How the survey was conducted:The reportpresents thefindingsofanationalonlinesurveyconductedbyAppliedResearch-West,Inc.(ARW)betweenJanuary20andFebruary15,2017.Atotalof1,710adultsovertheageof18andlivinginprivatehouseholdswereinterviewed.ARWusedarandomsamplingprocedureandthesurveyresultsareaccuratewithin+/-2.1percent.TheresultsarerepresentativeofU.S.adultsover18.

What issues cause Americans to worry about the water in their homes?

Awarenessofwaterqualityissuesandthecontaminantsthatmightaffectwaterhasrisenoverthepasttwoyears,whilethenumberofAmericanswhoidentifyleadasapossiblecontaminantrosesignificantly.

TheseareamongtheconclusionsofanindependentsurveyconductedbyAppliedResearch-West,Inc.ConductedacrossJanuaryandFebruary,thestudyoffersalookintoAmericans’evolvingatti-tudesabouttheirwater.ItisthesixthtimeinthirteenyearsthatWaterQualityAssociation(WQA)commissionedthisprofessionalopinionresearchteam.

Courtesy of the Water Quality AssociationA not-for-pro� t organization

Summary & HighlightsNational Study of Consumers’ Opinions &

Perceptions Regarding Water Quality2017 Edition

Among the major findings:

•Whenitcomestoperceivedwatercontaminants,theresponseforleadmorethandoubledsince 2015.

•Thenumberofrespondentswhosaidtheylearnedabouthealthcontaminantsfromthemedia rosefrom27percentin2015,to43percentin2017

•Thetoptworesponsesto“whoisthewaterqualityexpertisinyourarea”werewatertreatment dealersandcertifiedwaterspecialists.

Overhalf(52%)ofthosesurveyedperceivethefederallawsgoverningdrinkingwaterqualityarenotstrictenough.Asizeablemajorityofconsumers(75%)believethattheprimaryresponsibilityforensuringsafedrinkingwaterliesoutsidetheirhome,withthemunicipality.

Theseresultssuggestincreasinglythatpoint-of-use/point-of-entrywatertreatmentmaypresentaviablesolutionforcommunitieswithproblematicwatersupplies.Morethan99%ofthewatercomingintoourhomesisnotusedfordrinking.Byinstallingprotectionatornearthetap,consumerscanprotectthewaterthatismostimportanttothem.

Thefindingsalsorevealthatboilwateralertstendtotriggerpurchaseofwaterfiltrationsystems.Closetohalfofrespondents(41%)saidtheypurchasedawaterfiltrationdeviceaftera“unsafewaterforuse”or“boil-wateralertwasissuedintheirarea.Manyoftheserespondentssaidtheypurchasedafilteredwaterpitcher,refrigeratorfiltersystem,orreverseosmosissystem.

Inaddition,overhalfofrespondentswouldbewillingtopaymoreforhomewatertreatmentsystemstoremovelead(63%),arsenic(60%),pharmaceuticals(57%)andothercontaminants.

In-Building Water Treatment

Observations:

•Refrigeratorfilterstendtobereplacedonaregularbasis.Infact,20%respondentssaythey replacefiltersquarterly,51%saidtwiceayearand19%saidonceayear.

•Amajority(59%)ofthosewhopurchaseawatersoftenertendtopurchaseitwithinoneyearof buyingorleasingahome.

•Aboutthree-quartersofrespondents(69%)chosetopurchaseawatersoftenerratherthan rentit.

•One-fourth(25%)ofthosewhocurrentlydonothaveawaterfiltrationdeviceintheirhomesaid theyarelikelytoinstalloneinthenearfuture.However,only5%saidtheywere“verylikely”to installone.

•Concernsaboutcontaminantsandahealthrisksassociationwithtapwaterareconsideredthe mostimportantfactorsinfluencingthedecisiontopurchaseawaterfiltrationproduct.

What it means:Overallmarketopportunities for thesaleofwater treatmentproducts remainsteady.

Page 2

Making purchasing decisions

Observations:

•Nearlyhalf(44%)ofrespondentssaidtheyconsiderabrand-nameproductasa“veryimportant”or“somewhatimportant”factor.

•Productknowledgeandtheabilitytoanswertheconsumer’squestionswereconsideredthemostimportantattributesinsalespersonofwaterfiltrationequipment.

•Easeofinstallationandcontinuedmaintenanceweretheattributesofawaterfiltrationsystemconsideredmostimportantbyconsumers.

•Consumerssaiditwasimportanttofindaproductbearingamanufacturerwarranty(65%)orguarantee(58%).

What it means:Theconsumerwantstohaveareasontopurchase.Affordability,brand,benefitsguarantee/warranty,andwatersafetyarekeymessages.

Water Quality Experts

Observations:

•Themajorityofconsumersperceivethewaterqualityexpert intheirareaareWatertreatmentdealers/technicians(38%) andcertifiedwaterspecialists(35%).

•Havingalicenseorprofessionalcertification(40%),productknowledge(59%)andabilitytoanswerquestions(61%)wereconsideredthemostimportantattributesofasalespersonofasoftener.

What it means:Consumersplaceahighvalueonprofessionaleducationandcertification.

Additional Resources

For more information go to:www.wqa.orgTo fi nd a water treatment provider go to:http://www.wqa.org/find-providersTo fi nd a certifi ed product go to:https://www.wqa.org/find-products#/

Consumer Opinion Study 2017

Page 4

Overall Concern with Quality of Household Water Supply

Concern About HealthContaminants in Tap Water

25%

21%

16%

13%

24%

28%

23%

15%

27% 29%

21%

13%

10%

18%

24% 25%

19%

14%

ExtremelyConcerned

4 3 2 Notatallconcerned

2011 2013 2015 2017

27% 27%

21%

15%

9%

30%

26% 26%

13%

6%

30% 29%

22%

12%

7%

24% 24% 24%

19%

10%

Veryconcerned 4 3 2 NotatallConcerned

2011 2013 2015 2017

Consumer Opinion Study 2017

Satisfaction With Quality ofHousehold Water

Perceived Safety of Drinking Water

48%

42%

9%

46% 43%

11%

48%

41%

11%

49%

40%

10%

Assafeasitshouldbe Notassafeasitshouldbe Don'tknow

2011 2013 2015 2017

25%

29%

15%

22% 21%

32%

16%

8%

1%

24%

33%

15%

19%

7%

29% 30%

13%

20%

8%

Verysatisfied Somewhatsatisfied Neither satisfiednordissatisfied

Somewhatdissatisfied Verydissatisfied Don'tknow

2011 2013 2015 2017

Page 6

Confi dence That Water SourceDoes Not Present Health Risks

Primary Responsibility for EnsuringSafe Drinking Water Lies…

16%

29%

33%

15%

7%

12%

30%

34%

17%

8%

12%

31%

35%

13%

8%

16%

30% 32%

13%

9%

VeryConfident 4 3 2 NotatallConfident

2011 2013 2015 2017

24%

6%

70%

23%

9%

67%

22%

8%

70%

19%

5%

75%

Insidethehomewithwater treatmentproducts

Outsideyourhomeatabottledwaterplant Outsideyourhomewiththemunicipality

2011 2013 2015 2017

Consumer Opinion Study 2017

Reasons For Concern AboutHousehold Water Quality

23%

13%

18%

10%

4%

6%

18%

8%

29%

8%

5%

25%

11%

8%

7%

7%

2%

25%

12%

6%

31%

7%

4%

7%

5%

3%

36%

29%

29%

28%

26%

22%

10%

9%

6%

2%

Iamconcernedaboutthecontaminantsintapwater

Iamconcernedaboutwhethertapwater issafetodrink

Doesn’ttasteasgoodasbottledwater

Tapwater doesnottastegood

Iamconcernedaboutthehealthrisksassociatedwithtapwater

Tapwater istoohard

Tapwater hasabadodor

Tapwater lookscloudyinmyglass

Other

Forwater softeningpurposes

2011 2013 2015 2017

Page 8

Compared to Tap Water, Bottled Water Is:

Better 53%Same 41%

Worse 6%

2017

Better 58%

Same 37%

Worse 5%

2015

Better 53%Same 39%

Worse 8%

2013

Better 51%

Same 40%

Worse 10%

2011

Consumer Opinion Study 2017

Water Quality “Expert” in Your Area

35%

24%

14%

3%

3%

2%

36%

19%

23%

13%

33%

24%

2%

2%

2%

1%

31%

38%

32%

35%

6%

5%

3%

6%

Don'tknow

Water treatmentdealers/technicians

City

CertifiedWaterSpecialists

Plumbers

Bottledwatercompanies

Other

Welldrillers

2011 2013 2015 2017

International Headquarters and Laboratory

4151 Naperville Road Lisle, IL 60532-3696 USA Phone: 630-505-0160 Fax: 630-505-9637 Website: www.wqa.org

A not-for-profit organization

For more information contact:

More about The Water Quality AssociationWQA is a not-for-profit international trade organization representing the residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment industry. Its membership consists of both manufacturers and dealers/distributors of equipment. WQA is a resource and information source, a voice for the industry, an educator of professionals, a laboratory for product testing, and a communicator with the public. To learn more about WQA and its professional certification programs, visit wqa.org

Learn morewww.wqa.org