Upload
others
View
4
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
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