Communication, perception and behaviour during a natural disaster involving a 'Do Not Drink' and a subsequent 'Boil Water' notice: a postal questionnaire study

Table 2 Use of information sources for all four stages of the incident.

Information source	'Water Loss'^a(N = 140)		'Do Not Drink' (N = 144)		'Boil Water' (N = 115)		'Water Safe' (N = 137)
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
I turned on the tap and no water came out^b	19	13.6
family/friend/neighbour	42	30.0	22	15.3	12	10.4	28	20.4
leaflet through the post^c	8	5.7	66	45.8	44	38.3	51	37.2
local newspaper	4	2.9	53	36.8	32	27.8	40	29.2
national newspaper	0	0	6	4.2	0	0	2	1.5
local charity/volunteers	1	0.7	4	2.8	1	0.9	2	1.5
GP/nurse/health organisation	0	0	0	0	2	1.8	1	0.7
water company	0	0	60	41.7	41	35.7	48	35.0
TV	15	10.7	40	27.8	19	16.5	32	23.4
local radio	43	30.7	88	61.1	64	55.7	78	56.9
national radio	3	2.1	5	3.5	2	1.7	5	3.6
local government/council	0	0	3	2.1	3	2.6	1	0.7
website	1	0.7	15	10.4	8	6.9	7	5.1
other	4	2.9	3	2.1	4	2.5	3	2.2

^a For the 'Water Loss' stage, respondents could only choose one option (i.e. the information source first used), whereas for all other stages multiple responses were possible.
^b Option only available for the 'Water Loss' stage.
^c No leaflets were handed out during the 'Water Loss' stage.

ISSN: 1471-2458