Table 1 summarizes the main demographics of the respondents. A total of 37% of the respondents indicated that they primarily used bottled water for their drinking purposes. Over half of the respondents (58%) affirmed they used a filter when drinking from the tap. Almost half of the respondents (46%) affirmed that they agreed or strongly agreed with being happy with the taste, color, and odor of their tap water. A majority of respondents (60%) disagreed or strongly disagreed with statements related to risk perceptions associated with drinking water from the tap (mean = 2.64), indicating that most respondents thought there were not many health risks involved with drinking from the tap. Respondents felt rather neutral about the environment (mean = 3.44), with 21% agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposed statements (high environmental concern) and 9% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with the statements (low environmental concern). A majority of respondents (60%) agreed or strongly agreed with items related to their satisfaction with living in the area. Regarding the perceived surface water quality, respondents felt rather neutral (mean = 3.21) with 43% evaluating the water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams as fair. Most respondents felt strongly about the importance of clean water for recreation (mean = 4.70), with 57% of respondents indicating that the statements were very important to them.
Demographics from the sample under study
| Demographic variable . | n . | % . | M . | SD . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 326 | 56 | ||
| Age | 584 | 51.74 | 13.91 | |
| 18–29 | 32 | 5 | ||
| 30–39 | 105 | 18 | ||
| 40–49 | 116 | 20 | ||
| 50–59 | 151 | 25 | ||
| 60–69 | 120 | 20 | ||
| 70–79 | 50 | 8 | ||
| 80 + | 9 | 1 | ||
| Household income | 527 | $89.051 | / | |
| $0–$24,999 | 27 | 5.1 | ||
| $25,000–$49,999 | 98 | 18.6 | ||
| $50,000–$74,999 | 102 | 19.4 | ||
| $75,999–$99,999 | 86 | 14.2 | ||
| $100,000–$149,999 | 125 | 20.7 | ||
| $150,000 or more | 89 | 14.7 | ||
| Education | ||||
| Some high school | 4 | 0.7 | ||
| High school graduate | 49 | 8.3 | ||
| Some college | 96 | 16.3 | ||
| Two-year college | 50 | 8.5 | ||
| Four-year college | 166 | 28.2 | ||
| Graduate or professional degree | 223 | 37.9 |
| Demographic variable . | n . | % . | M . | SD . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 326 | 56 | ||
| Age | 584 | 51.74 | 13.91 | |
| 18–29 | 32 | 5 | ||
| 30–39 | 105 | 18 | ||
| 40–49 | 116 | 20 | ||
| 50–59 | 151 | 25 | ||
| 60–69 | 120 | 20 | ||
| 70–79 | 50 | 8 | ||
| 80 + | 9 | 1 | ||
| Household income | 527 | $89.051 | / | |
| $0–$24,999 | 27 | 5.1 | ||
| $25,000–$49,999 | 98 | 18.6 | ||
| $50,000–$74,999 | 102 | 19.4 | ||
| $75,999–$99,999 | 86 | 14.2 | ||
| $100,000–$149,999 | 125 | 20.7 | ||
| $150,000 or more | 89 | 14.7 | ||
| Education | ||||
| Some high school | 4 | 0.7 | ||
| High school graduate | 49 | 8.3 | ||
| Some college | 96 | 16.3 | ||
| Two-year college | 50 | 8.5 | ||
| Four-year college | 166 | 28.2 | ||
| Graduate or professional degree | 223 | 37.9 |