title: Public Perception of Quality and Support for Required Access to Drinking Water in Schools and Parks.
abstract: We assessed public support for required water access in schools and parks and perceived safety and taste of water in these settings to inform efforts to increase access to and consumption of tap water.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional survey of the US public collected from August to November 2011.
  
  
  
  Random digit-dialed telephone survey.
  
  
  
  Participants (n = 1218) aged 17 and older from 1055 US counties in 46 states.
  
  
  
  Perceived safety and taste of water in schools and parks as well as support for required access to water in these settings.
  
  
  
  Survey-adjusted perceived safety and taste as well as support for required access were estimated.
  
  
  
  There was broad support for required access to water throughout the day in schools (96%) and parks (89%). Few participants believed water was unsafe in schools (10%) or parks (18%).
  
  
  
  This study provides evidence of public support for efforts to increase access to drinking water in schools and parks and documents overall high levels of perceived taste and safety of water provided in these settings.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gortmaker
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Anisha I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: 4 Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, Obesity Prevention and Control Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Onufrak
authors.affiliation: 5 The Public Health Advocacy Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Cara L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wilking
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Angie L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cradock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068316:Parks, Recreational / Q000592:standards*; D011639:Public Opinion; D012574:Schools / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: public opinion; recreational facilities; schools; water