scholarly journals Risk Perception and Bottled Drinking Water Consumption in Istanbul City

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-532

Parallel to the increase in public concern about the safety of drinking water globally, the demand for bottled water has increased in almost every country. Although tap water is significantly cheaper than bottled water, consumers concerned about the safety of tap water. They still prefer the bottled water despite several checks implemented in tap water networks. The present paper aims to discuss network water quality in the city of Istanbul, Turkey and to present the findings on a related survey conducted by the authors. The survey was conducted with the participation of 980 individuals living in different districts in Istanbul and the findings were assessed to determine the public perception about tap water quality and bottled water consumption especially after the experienced years of drought and water quality concerns. Findings demonstrated that several individuals never drink tap water and certain individuals do not utilize tap water at all. It was found that only 4% in the surveyed group drink tap water without hesitation. Based on survey findings, the abovementioned group was mainly among the lowest income group in the sample. When purchasing bottled water, several individuals preferred the well-known brands. It was found that the most significant reasons for preferring bottled water were the nice taste of the bottled spring water, which was perceived not to exist in tap water. It was concluded that drinking water treatment facilities and regulations are required to cater the future quality demands. Furthermore, it was determined that adequate inspections and controls on network water are necessary.

1992 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 949-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W Dabeka ◽  
Henry B S Conacher ◽  
John Salminen ◽  
Gerald R Nixon ◽  
Gunther Riedel ◽  
...  

Abstract Samples of bottled water (n = 172) offered for sale in Canada were analyzed for lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, and fluoride: means and ranges (μg/g) found were, respectively, 0.0026 (<0.0010- 0.074), 0.00018 (<0.0001-0.0004), 0.0030 (<0.001- 0.048), 0.027 (<0.010-0.568), and 0.543 (<0.050- 5.85). Comparison of levels among mineral waters (n = 64), spring waters (n = 77), and miscellaneous waters (n = 31) indicated appreciable differences only in the case of fluoride. For fluoride, the means and medians (μg/g) for mineral, spring, and miscellaneous waters were 1.179 and 0.455, 0.152 and 0.090, and 0.201 and <0.050, respectively. No samples were found in violation of the tolerances in the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations; however, 1 sample (in a lead-soldered can) contained lead and 15 samples contained fluoride at levels above the limits recommended by the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water (tap-water) Quality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
Hassan Aslani ◽  
Parisa Pashmtab ◽  
Abdolreza Shaghaghi ◽  
Asghar Mohammadpoorasl ◽  
Hassan Taghipour ◽  
...  

Background: The main objective of this study was to investigate the logics behind tendencies towards bottled drinking water usage in spite of availability of treated tap water. The amount of waste bottle is also estimated in Iran and managing principles for resolving the issue presented. Methods: A questionnaire was used to survey the logics behind tendencies toward bottled drinking water consumption among 120 participants. In order to estimate the quantities of the PET wastes produced in the country, data about bottled water production rate as well as volume of the imported and exported drinking bottled water were collected from 1962 to 2015 and applied in the calculations. Results: Findings suggested that about 0.026 to 3.86 billion liters (about 1.04 billion literson average) of bottled water was consumed annually between 2000 and 2015. Furthermore, bottled water consumption increased from 0.41 to 48.9 L/capita-year within the same time period. In the meantime, the plastic bottle waste generation rate rose from 12.84 to 1519.38 g/capita-year. There is no efficient and suitable system for managing and recycling waste bottles in the country. The perceived unreliability of tap water quality was the main reason of bottled water consumption among 74% of the respondents. Conclusion: To reduce bottled water consumption and the associated harmful environmental and health consequences, measures such as informing people, validating public water supply quality, preventive rules enactment, and establishing extended producer responsibility (EPR) are highly recommended.


Water Policy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 668-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Johnstone ◽  
Ysé Serret

In the face of dissatisfaction with the quality of public water supply, there is significant ‘willingness-to-pay’ for improved services. However, pressuring authorities for public sector investments in water quality services is not the only means at the disposal of households to bring about improvements in drinking water quality. On the one hand, households can invest in purification systems at the level of the individual household. On the other, they can consume bottled water for their drinking needs. Based on a survey of 10,000 households, this paper analyses the determinants of a household's decision to purchase bottled water or invest in a purification system. Negative perceptions of tap water quality (health and taste concerns) affect the decision to purchase bottled water and home purification, with much greater effect on bottled water consumption. The same is true of household income. Household size, the presence of children in the household and length of residence affects the decision to invest in purification, but not bottled water consumption. Concern about solid waste has a negative impact on bottled water consumption, and car ownership has a positive impact.


2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Graff Zivin ◽  
Matthew Neidell ◽  
Wolfram Schlenker

We examine the impact of poor water quality on avoidance behavior by estimating the change in bottled water purchases in response to drinking water violations. Using data from a national grocery chain matched with water quality violations, we find an increase in bottled water sales of 22 percent from violations due to microorganisms and 17 percent from violations due to elements and chemicals. Back-of-the envelope calculations yield costs of avoidance behavior at roughly $60 million for all nationwide violations in 2005, which likely reflects a significant understatement of the total willingness to pay to eliminate violations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelkader T. Ahmed ◽  
Mohammed Emad ◽  
Mohammed A. Bkary

AbstractMany people prefer to drink bottled water instead off the tap water. The bottled water is stored in the plastic bottles sometimes for long time. These plastic bottles might leach out some harmful materials into the water especially when exposed to temperature alteration, which may affect human health. This research work focused on investigating the effect of changing temperature on the bottled water quality. The work studied the effect of heating water in plastic bottles by sun, oven, and microwave. The study included also the impact of cooling and freezing the bottled waters. Results showed that temperature alterations caused changes in some physicochemical properties of bottled waters such as decreasing the values of pH and TDS and increasing levels of fluoride and chloride. In addition, the concentration levels of some physiochemical parameters exceeded the permissible values for drinking water. With temperature alterations, all levels of heavy metals in bottled waters were minimal except some small concentrations of copper and zinc. Results confirmed also differences in behavior between the bottled water brands exposed to the same temperature alterations. Heating bottled waters above 50 °C is alarming problem on the water quality. This is because above this degree, many alternations were observed in the water content. The outcomes of this work are useful for improving the current legislation on bottled waters and their storage.


2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Roche ◽  
A. Q. Jones ◽  
S. E. Majowicz ◽  
S. A. McEwen ◽  
K. D. M. Pintar

A pooled analysis of seven cross-sectional studies from Newfoundland and Labrador, Waterloo and Hamilton Regions, Ontario and Vancouver, East Kootenay and Northern Interior Regions, British Columbia (2001 to 2007) was performed to investigate the drinking water consumption patterns of Canadians and to identify factors associated with the volume of tap water consumed. The mean volume of tap water consumed was 1.2 L/day, with a large range (0.03 to 9.0 L/day). In-home water treatment and interactions between age and gender and age and bottled water use were significantly associated with the volume of tap water consumed in multivariable analyses. Approximately 25% (2,221/8,916) of participants were classified as bottled water users, meaning that 75% or more of their total daily drinking water intake was bottled. Approximately 48.6% (4,307/8,799) of participants used an in-home treatment method to treat their tap water for drinking purposes. This study provides a broader geographic perspective and more current estimates of Canadian water consumption patterns than previous studies. The identified factors associated with daily water consumption could be beneficial for risk assessors to identify individuals who may be at greater risk of waterborne illness.


Author(s):  
Sreenath Bolisetty ◽  
Akram Rahimi ◽  
Raffaele Mezzenga

Tap water quality in Peru fails to meet the world health organization (WHO) drinking water standards; consequently, the local population in Peru has been exposed over the last years to...


Author(s):  
Erica L. Kenney ◽  
James G. Daly ◽  
Rebekka M. Lee ◽  
Rebecca S. Mozaffarian ◽  
Katherine Walsh ◽  
...  

Ensuring students’ access to safe drinking water at school is essential. However, many schools struggle with aging infrastructure and subsequent water safety problems and have turned to bottled water delivery systems. Little is known about whether such systems are feasible and effective in providing adequate student water access. This study was a mixed-methods investigation among six schools in an urban district in the U.S. with two types of water delivery systems: (1) tap water infrastructure, with updated water fountains and bottle fillers, and (2) bottled water coolers. We measured students’ water consumption and collected qualitative data from students and teachers about their perceptions of school drinking water. Student water consumption was low—between 2.0 (SD: 1.4) ounces per student and 2.4 (SD: 1.1) ounces per student during lunch. Students and teachers reported substantial operational hurdles for relying on bottled water as a school’s primary source of drinking water, including difficulties in stocking, cleaning, and maintaining the units. While students and teachers perceived newer bottle filler units positively, they also reported a distrust of tap water. Bottled water delivery systems may not be effective long-term solutions for providing adequate school drinking water access and robust efforts are needed to restore trust in tap water.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas G. Levêque ◽  
Robert C. Burns

A questionnaire survey was conducted in order to assess residents’ perceptions of water quality for drinking and recreational purposes in a mid-sized city in northcentral West Virginia. Two logistic regression analyses were conducted in order to investigate the factors that influence bottle use and filter use. Results show that 37% of respondents primarily use bottled water and that 58% use a household filter when drinking from the tap. Respondents with lower levels of environmental concern, education levels, and lower organoleptic perceptions were most likely to perceive health risks from tap water consumption, and were most likely to use bottled water. Income, age, and organoleptic perceptions were predictors of water filter use among respondents. Clean water for recreational purposes was not found to be significant with either of these models. Our results demonstrate that bottle use and filter use are explained differently. We argue that more education and better communication about local tap water quality would decrease the use of bottled water. We demonstrate that household filters could be used as an alternative to bottled water.


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