전국 먹는 수돗물의 만족도에 대한 결정 요인 분석과 정책적 시사점

Abstract

This study offers the first analysis of the determinants of overall satisfaction with drinking tap water using a nationally representative sample based on data from the <2021 Drinking Tap Water Survey> in South Korea. Based on a representative sample from 161 regions across the nation, as our main explanatory variables, we select various perceptions concerning consuming tap water including overall quality, taste, being economical, convenience, and environmental-friendliness. When it comes to consumption of tap water with no treatment (inclusive of boiling it), we find that trust in the quality of the tap water is key to improving overall satisfaction with drinking tap water. With reference to consumption of tap water after filtration, the perception of convenience is found to have a statistically significant positive impact. Regardless of how tap water is consumed, the overall satisfaction improves for high income region respondents perceive that drinking tap water is environment-friendly. In addition, other supply-side factors such as trust in the municipal water treatment system and favorable ratings of the speed of response to complaints were associated with higher satisfaction with tap water. These findings have important policy implications.