Seventh annual Aquasana Water Quality Survey finds Americans' worries at the tap are mounting over PFAS, microplastics and more
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Aquasana, a leading maker of high-performance water filtration solutions for the home, today announced the results of its seventh 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 1,147 U.S. adults in March 2025, public concern about drinking water safety at the tap is surging – specifically concerning emerging contaminants such as PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals", and microplastics. In fact, nearly nine in 10 Americans (87%) reported being at least somewhat concerned about the quality of their unfiltered tap water at home, up 19% compared to 73% in 2021.
"We conduct the Aquasana Water Quality Survey every year to keep a finger on the pulse of how people really feel about their drinking water at home, as well as track new trends and top areas of concern," said Derek Mellencamp, the company's chief marketing officer and general manager. "We have known for years that Americans are increasingly paying more attention to the quality of their tap water at home. As the frequency and visibility of high-profile water concerns continue to rise across the country, so has public concern over emerging contaminants – including PFAS and microplastics – along with the number of people choosing to filter their water at home."
When it comes to specific drinking water contaminants, Americans cited lead as their number one contaminant of concern (26%), up 63% from 16% in 2023, followed by bacteria, cysts and viruses (23%). Most notably, the 2025 survey highlights a significant rise in awareness and concern over PFAS and microplastics, which rose to the number three and number four spots, respectively, on the list of top water contaminant concerns – surpassing chlorine, chloramines, pesticides and herbicides for the first time in the survey's seven-year history.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been linked to serious health risks including cancer and immune dysfunction, are now recognized by 54% of Americans—up from 49% in 2024. Concern over "forever chemicals" in drinking water has risen significantly over the past few years, along with the number of U.S. adults who chose PFAS as the most concerning contaminant – spiking 267% from just 3% in 2020 to 11% in 2025. In fact, concern over PFAS has risen the highest of any contaminant that Aquasana has tracked since 2020. On a broader scale, the vast majority of Americans (82%) reported being at least somewhat concerned about the presence of PFAS in their homes, up from 80% in 2024.
Meanwhile, concern over microplastics has also skyrocketed. An overwhelming 83% 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 drinking water contaminant of concern has quadrupled, spiking +400% from just 2% in 2023 to 10% in 2025. Despite these concerns, bottled water remains the most trusted source of drinking water for 34% of Americans, even though it contains over 2,000% more microplastics than tap water. This disconnect underscores the need for greater public education on drinking water safety and water filtration.
Encouragingly, filtered water is gaining trust in the U.S., with 59% of the population now ranking it as their most reliable source of clean drinking water—up from 50% in 2019. What's more, the number of Americans who believe that drinking cleaner, filtered water is key to living a longer, healthier life is also on the rise – up 5% year-over-year to 80% in 2025. In fact, U.S. adults ranked hydration as more important for longevity than adequate sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, mental health and stress management, access to healthcare, and social connections with friends and family.
"Installing a water filter is one of the simplest and most impactful ways to improve the health and wellness of your home," added Mellencamp. "We're encouraged to see more Americans recognizing the vital role that clean, filtered water plays in living a longer, healthier life. Our goal is to provide reliable, high-performance filtration solutions people can trust — so they can confidently move away from single-use plastic bottles and toward a more sustainable, healthier future."
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, reverse osmosis systems and portable filter bottles – 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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