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Volume 17
Issue 11
10.3390/w17111613
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Article

Public Perception of Drinking Water Quality in an Arsenic-Affected Region: Implications for Sustainable Water Management

by
Malcolm Watson
,
Jasmina Nikić
*,
Jovana Pešić Bajić
,
Maja Vujić
,
Tamara Apostolović
,
Jasna Atanasijević
and
Jasmina Agbaba
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2025, 17(11), 1613; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111613
Submission received: 16 April 2025 / Revised: 19 May 2025 / Accepted: 23 May 2025 / Published: 26 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance)
Versions Notes

Abstract

This work explores the relationship between water quality and public trust in their water supply, in an arsenic-affected region of Serbia. The results from an online public survey are presented and subjected to Pearson’s correlation, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis. In general, survey respondents in settlements with known arsenic issues had a poor opinion on the quality of their tap water. This poor opinion was underlined by their consumption of bottled water, with more than 43% of responders purchasing at least 5 L of bottled water a week. In addition to the great economic cost, the relatively low plastic recycling rate in Serbia means that this also has a very negative effect on the environment, as most of the plastic bottles are sent to landfill, to degrade slowly into microplastics, whilst leaching a variety of chemical contaminants into the surroundings. In the area studied, the poor public opinion of the water quality is a realistic reflection of water at the tap. Although significant, the additional environmental pollution from bottled water consumption should nonetheless be of secondary consideration in comparison to the health risks associated with chemical contaminants in the study area, with local waterworks requiring significant financial assistance if they are to meaningfully improve tap water quality.
Keywords: drinking water; arsenic; water quality; public opinion; water supply drinking water; arsenic; water quality; public opinion; water supply

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MDPI and ACS Style

Watson, M.; Nikić, J.; Pešić Bajić, J.; Vujić, M.; Apostolović, T.; Atanasijević, J.; Agbaba, J. Public Perception of Drinking Water Quality in an Arsenic-Affected Region: Implications for Sustainable Water Management. Water 2025, 17, 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111613

AMA Style

Watson M, Nikić J, Pešić Bajić J, Vujić M, Apostolović T, Atanasijević J, Agbaba J. Public Perception of Drinking Water Quality in an Arsenic-Affected Region: Implications for Sustainable Water Management. Water. 2025; 17(11):1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111613

Chicago/Turabian Style

Watson, Malcolm, Jasmina Nikić, Jovana Pešić Bajić, Maja Vujić, Tamara Apostolović, Jasna Atanasijević, and Jasmina Agbaba. 2025. "Public Perception of Drinking Water Quality in an Arsenic-Affected Region: Implications for Sustainable Water Management" Water 17, no. 11: 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111613

APA Style

Watson, M., Nikić, J., Pešić Bajić, J., Vujić, M., Apostolović, T., Atanasijević, J., & Agbaba, J. (2025). Public Perception of Drinking Water Quality in an Arsenic-Affected Region: Implications for Sustainable Water Management. Water, 17(11), 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111613

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