Abstract
This paper presents a comparative assessment of public perception of drinking water quality in two underprivileged urban areas in Lebanon and Jordan with nearly similar cultural and demographic characteristics. It compares the quality of bottled water to the quality of the drinking water supplied through the public network and examines the economic implications of bottled water consumption in the two study areas. Participants' perception of the quality of drinking water provided via the public network was generally negative, and bottled water was perceived to be of better quality in both areas, thus affecting drinking water preferences and consumption patterns. The results reveal that the quality of bottled water is questionable in areas that lack enforcement of water quality standards, thus adding to the burden of an already disadvantaged community. Both areas demonstrated a considerable cost incurred for purchasing bottled water in low income communities reaching up to 26 % of total income.
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Acknowledgments
This study is part of a program on water and sanitation in poor urban slum areas funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Special thanks are extended to Mr. Mark Redwood and Dr. Marwan Owaygen at IDRC for their continuous support throughout the implementation of this program.
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Massoud, M.A., Maroun, R., Abdelnabi, H. et al. Public perception and economic implications of bottled water consumption in underprivileged urban areas. Environ Monit Assess 185, 3093–3102 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2775-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2775-x