The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) commissioned Roper Starch Worldwide to conduct a series of surveys to better assess the public understanding of the environment and environmental education, as well as how prepared they are for the environmental challenges facing all Americans.

This 1999 survey was specifically regarding tap water quality and safety in the United States. The survey reveals that there are two contradictory schools of thought in American water assessment: most Americans trust their tap water and yet there is an increase in how many exclusively drink bottled water or filter/boil their water in the home.