Eighth annual Aquasana Water Quality Survey reveals widespread worry about the quality of U.S. drinking water and lacking public confidence in federal drinking water standards
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Aquasana, a leading maker of high-performance water filtration solutions for the home, today announced the results of its eighth annual Water Quality Survey, which asked Americans about their drinking water knowledge, habits and concerns in honor of National Water Quality Month. According to the new survey, which polled 1,231 U.S. adults in March 2026, public concern about drinking water safety at the tap continues to rise, with Americans expressing growing alarm over PFAS "forever chemicals" and microplastics, in conjunction with widespread skepticism about the federal drinking water standards.
Eight in 10 Americans (82%) are now concerned about the quality of the unfiltered tap water in their home, up from 73% in 2021. This comes as 76% of the population expressed a lack of confidence in the federal standards used to regulate drinking water safety in the U.S. What's more, an additional 10% said they're not familiar with these standards at all, leaving just 13% of the population who claimed to be "very confident" in how drinking water is being regulated on the federal level in this country.
"For almost a decade now, we've conducted this survey to keep a finger on the pulse of how consumers really feel about the quality of their home's drinking water, as well as help identify new trends and key areas of concern," said Sam Karge, president of Aquasana. "We've known for years that Americans are increasingly paying more attention to what's in their water and how to avoid exposure. As public concern over emerging contaminants like PFAS and microplastics continues to soar, more Americans are choosing to filter their tap water at home."
According to the survey, the number one contaminant of concern in the U.S. for the second consecutive year was lead (23%), followed by bacteria, cysts and viruses (20%). PFAS (12%) and microplastics(11%) rose to the number three and number four spots, respectively – surpassing chlorine, chloramines, pesticides and herbicides for the second time in the survey's eight-year history.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been linked to potential serious health risks including cancer and immune dysfunction, are now recognized by 55% of Americans – more than double the percentage who said they were familiar with "forever chemicals" as they relate to water in 2019 (27%) – and alarm over PFAS is higher than ever. Over three-quarters of Americans (78%) said they'reconcerned about PFAS in their home's drinking water. Since 2020, the percentage of U.S. adults who identified PFAS as their top drinking water contaminant of concern has quadrupled, climbing from 3% to 12% in 2026 (+300%). Since 2020, concern about PFAS has increased more than any other contaminant tracked by the Aquasana Water Quality survey.
Public concern about exposure to microplastics has also increased dramatically in recent years. In 2026, an overwhelming 82% of Americans expressed concern over the presence of microplastics in their drinking water. Additionally, the number of U.S. adults who cited microplastics as their number one contaminant of concern has jumped more than fivefold, rising 9 percentage points from 2% in 2023 to 11% in 2026. Despite these concerns, one-third of Americans (33%), think bottled water is the most trustworthy source of drinking water – even though it contains over 2,000% more microplastics than tap water. In fact, a shocking 84% of Americans still turn to single-use plastic bottles for drinking water, with 68% reporting they still drink bottled water on a weekly basis or more.
While there is generally less awareness around volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to lead, PFAS and microplastics, the majority of Americans said they are concerned about the possibility of exposure to VOCs at home. Only 37% of U.S. adults said they're familiar with the group of contaminants, yet 61% of U.S. adults are concerned about the presence of VOCs in their drinking water, and 63% expressed concern about the presence of VOCs in their home.
"Installing a water filter is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to instantly improve the overall health and wellness of your home," added Karge. "We encourage consumers to always look for a high-quality system that has been independently tested and certified to address the specific contaminants in their home's tap water."
Aquasana's advanced filtration systems are designed to remove up to 99.99% of 90 contaminants – including lead, PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides and more – offering a powerful solution for healthier hydration at home. For the full list of survey results and more insights into how Americans feel about their drinking water, visit aquasana.com.
About Aquasana
Aquasana, an A. O. Smith Corporation company (NYSE: AOS), is dedicated to improving the overall health and wellness of every home by delivering clean, healthy and great-tasting water through its best-in-class water filtration systems. Aquasana's family of award-winning premium water filters – including whole-house filtration systems, shower filters, under sink and countertop filters and reverse osmosis systems – provide easy and immediate access to healthy water at home and on the go.
Media Contact
Cindy Young Vanhoutte, Aquasana, 1 512-585-0394, [email protected], www.aquasana.com
SOURCE Aquasana
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