Table 4 Proportion of respondents for whom specific factors were important in deciding to use alternative water sources
From: Public perceptions of drinking water: a postal survey of residents with private water supplies
Factor | Very Important # (%) | Important # (%) | Total # (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Water treatment devices | |||
Improved taste (n = 114) | 53 (46.5) | 38 (33.3) | 91 (79.8) |
Improved smell (n = 113) | 52 (46.0) | 35 (31.0) | 87 (77.0) |
Reduced bacteria (n = 115) | 86 (74.8) | 17 (14.8) | 103 (89.6) |
Reduced lead or other metals (n = 114) | 67 (58.8) | 26 (22.8) | 94 (81.6) |
Reduced chemicals (n = 114) | 67 (58.8) | 22 (19.3) | 89 (78.1) |
Reduced cloudiness (n = 113) | 55 (48.7) | 27 (23.9) | 82 (72.6) |
Reduced hardness (n = 114) | 50 (43.9) | 35 (30.7) | 85 (74.6) |
Bottled water | |||
Improved taste (n = 130) | 59 (45.4) | 31 (23.8) | 90 (69.2) |
Improved smell (n = 128) | 47 (36.7) | 36 (28.1) | 83 (64.8) |
Reduced bacteria (n = 131) | 70 (53.4) | 23 (17.6) | 93 (71.0) |
Reduced lead or other metals (n = 124) | 54 (43.6) | 22 (17.7) | 76 (61.3) |
Reduced chemicals (n = 127) | 58 (45.7) | 24 (18.9) | 82 (64.6) |
Reduced cloudiness (n = 125) | 47 (37.6) | 33 (26.4) | 80 (64.0) |
Reduced hardness (n = 124) | 38 (30.7) | 34 (27.4) | 72 (58.1) |
Better safety testing/control (n = 128) | 64 (50.0) | 23 (18.0) | 87 (68.0) |