Water + US: New Report From The Water Main Reveals Value We Place On Water

Results from national survey with APM Research Lab show how we think, feel, and act on water

A new report from The Water Main in partnership with APM Research Lab shows the value the everyday American places on water, and how likely that is to spur them to act – with their vote, wallet and time.

This is the first nationally representative survey of its kind and is a useful tool for researchers, journalists and advocates in gauging how in-tune the rest of the country is with water-related challenges society faces today. An executive summary of the findings is attached. Full data from the survey can be found at apmresearchlab.org.

Overall, the report shows people are deeply connected to water and concerned for its future, despite having low levels of awareness about the topic. The report also highlights that few people know how to protect and conserve water in ways that make a real impact.

Additional key findings from the survey include:

• Less than half of Americans say they know their tap water source.
• About half of Americans know where stormwater, a major contributor to pollution, ends up.
• Only about a quarter are aware that surface water runoff from streets, lawns and farms is the single largest source of water pollution. Thirty eight percent incorrectly believe that waste from factories is the largest source.
• When it comes to concerns over water, women, Black, Latino and lower income adults all tend to score higher than males, White and higher income adults.
• Over one third of people incorrectly believe the EPA regulates “just about all” chemical water contaminants, when about 100 (out of tens of thousands) are regulated.
• Half of the Americans with annual incomes under $25,000 worry that they may not be able to afford their water bill over the next two years.
• Nearly half of American adults indicate that when deciding whom to vote for, it is “very important” for a candidate to say that taking care of water resources is a priority.
• Water appears to be an especially meaningful voting issue among lower income households, with two-thirds of those from households with annual incomes below $25,000 indicating that water is very important to their candidate preference.
• Concern for water crosses party lines, with 86 percent of Democrats and 76 percent of Republicans saying it is a “somewhat” or “very important” voting issue for them.

“We know people care about and feel connected to water in ways that unite people like almost nothing else in today’s society,” said Amy Skoczlas Cole, managing director of The Water Main. “This report points to the need to tap into that connection and provide people with meaningful ways to take action that result in cleaner, more accessible, more affordable water for all of us.”

While it gauged the nation’s connection to water with APM Research Lab, The Water Main has also worked with Farm Journal’s Trust in Food initiative to poll farmers nationwide about their views on water. Their livelihood being in close connection to the land and its resources, farmers agree that the future of the country’s water is in jeopardy, but they are divided on the severity. More information on Trust in Food’s findings regarding this important segment of the population can be found at trustinfood.com.

Expert Alert
Amy Skoczlas Cole is available to discuss the report and the significance of these findings. Craig Helmstetter, APM Research Lab’s managing partner, is available to discuss the survey and resulting data for this report. Contact Kelly Reller, kreller@americanpublicmedia.org to schedule an interview. Inquiries regarding Farm Journal’s farmer survey can be directed to Drew Slattery, dslattery@farmjournal.com.

About The Water Main
The Water Main was created by American Public Media in 2017 to serve current and new audiences, by growing a new public service model that shapes and inform critical conversations and decisions in society. The Water Main serves as a social impact arm of American Public Media that harnesses the expertise and resources of APM –research, journalism, storytelling, convening, community engagement, and reach across an audience of 19 million – to make a lasting difference in how Americans think, feel, and act on issues of water in their communities and across the country. Learn more at thewatermain.org.

About APM Research Lab
The APM Research Lab is a division of American Public Media aimed at informing the public by producing credible research- and analysis- based content. The Research Lab conducts research projects of all types — surveys, demographic analyses, literature reviews, and more — and informs the work of partner organizations and the broader public through traditional reports, as well as infographics, blog posts, interactives, presentations, and other platforms. For more information, visit apmresearchlab.org