Table 1 Definition of variables

Age

a) 18–29, b) 30–44, c) 45–59 and d) ≥ 60

Education

a) < high school, b) high school, c) some college and d) bachelor degree or higher

Household income in the past 12 months

a) ≤ $14,999, b) $15,000–$34,999, c) $35,000–$59,999, d) $60,000–$99,999 and e) ≥ $100,000.

Savings - If you lost your current source of income (your paycheck, public assistance, or other forms of income) how long could you continue to live at your current address and standard of living?

a) 0 = less than 2 months, b) 1 = 3 months-one year and c) 2 = more than one year.

Timeliness of information - When did you first learn about the water crisis?

a)1 = the same day the water contamination was reported (Thursday January 9) = 1 b) one or more days after =0.

Perceived risk -To the best of your knowledge, how likely was it for someone who lived in the affected areas to get sick by drinking tap water during the water crisis?

a) 0 = very unlikely or unlikely, b) 1 = somewhat likely and c) 2 = very likely.

Trust in government -Would you say that the government generally is?

a) 0 = run by few people looking for their own interests and b) 1 = run for the benefit of all.

Knowledge of recommended behaviors -To the best of your knowledge what actions were recommended in the areas affected by the water crisis? This question had correct response options describing recommended behaviors (e.g. drinking bottled water, avoiding drinking tap water, avoiding taking showers or bathing with tap water, avoiding using tap water to prepare baby formula) and non-correct options recommended behaviors (e.g. drinking water only after boiling it, drinking filtered tap water, cooking with boiled or disinfected water, washing dishes with boiled or disinfected water and brushing teeth with boiled or disinfected water).

a) 1 = the respondent checked at least one recommended behavior and did not check any non-recommended behavior b) 0 = the respondent did not check any of the recommended behaviors or checked at least one non-recommended behavior.

Behavioral Compliance

a)Recommended behaviors (e.g. drank only bottled water, cooked with only bottled water, washed dishes with only bottled water, brushed teeth with only bottled water, avoided taking showers or bathing with tap water, avoided tap water from coming in contact with skin, avoided using tap water for washing clothes),

b)Non-recommended behaviors (e.g. drank water after boiling it, cooked with only boiled or disinfected water, washed dishes with only boiled or disinfected water, brushed teeth only with boiled or disinfected water), and

c)Non-recommended behaviors geographically specific to affected counties (drank tap water and followed no recommended behavior).

1 = the respondent checked at least one recommended behavior and did not check any non-recommended behavior or 0 = the respondent did not check any of the recommended behaviors or checked at least one non-recommended behavior.

Flushing compliance: After learning the water crisis was over, did you flush a) cold water faucets for at least 5 min?, b) warm water faucets for at least 15 min?, c) appliances (i.e. ice maker, dish washer). Answer options to this question were Yes/No.