Determinants of Drinking Water Filtration Decisions in Puerto Rican Households: A Logistic Regression Analysis of User Perceptions

Puerto Rico has been severely impacted by climate-related issues and natural hazards, which have damaged water infrastructure and compromised overall water quality. This has led residents to mistrust water from municipal utility suppliers. As a result, Puerto Ricans have adopted alternative drinking sources and filtration methods, including reliance on bottled water and home water filtration methods. Although there is a good understanding that many residents mistrust tap water, there is limited understanding regarding whether and how users rely on home water filtration methods. We collected survey data from 506 residents in Puerto Rico in 2024. Logistic regression analysis shows that users typically filter their water due to a combination of demographic factors. For instance, income was a significant predictor (p-value <0.001), along with concerns about water quality, color, the perceived presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), overall dissatisfaction with their water quality, and perceived health risks associated with consuming tap water. This is the first study in Puerto Rico on household filtration and extends our knowledge about specific factors that influence public trust in water quality, ultimately supporting future evidence-based approaches to enhancing trust in tap water.