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More than 52 percent of survey respondents “anticipate serious harm from drinking water in the next two years,” according to a recent study conducted across 141 countries. Researchers from Northwestern University and UNC found that in the United States, despite over 97 percent of the population having access to clean water, around 40 percent of people anticipated harm.
The findings showed that having clean water access is not about building more infrastructure, “but a lot more about public perceptions of safety and trust,” the study’s lead author, Joshua Miller, told The Epoch Times.
But perceptions may not be wrong, he added: “People have a good sense through taste and smell and historical experiences of experiencing harm from water knowing whether it’s safe or not to drink water.” And perceptions about water quality drive other behaviors, like buying bottled water, opting for processed foods, or dining out more, all of which can be expensive, unhealthy, or both, according to Sera Young, the study’s senior author.