"It is evident that the state-supported bottled water programs are still a critical resource for a large number of Flint residents, with bottled water being used for a variety of daily tasks," says the survey report titled, "From Crisis to Recovery: Household Resources."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has warned of the potential for particulate lead releases from transmission pipes into the water supply in Flint because of the widespread underground digging for service lines.
Too many people have come to rely on bottled water and too few feel comfortable changing water faucet filters, don’t have a filter installed, or don’t have running water at all, Villarreal said.
Of those surveyed, 15 percent did not have a faucet filter in their homes and another 5 percent who have a filter either wait six months or longer to change the cartridge or don’t change it at all.
When asked how confident they were in replacing filter cartridges, about 36 percent ranked their confidence level between "not at all" confident to "somewhat confident," according to the survey.
"The only information collected has been the number of door knocks and the number of conversations, suggesting that resident confidence in filter use isn’t a priority."
Slightly less than 10 percent of respondents said they are using bottled water to flush their toilets, an indication that they might not have any running water in their home, Villarreal said.
Taken in December, the survey was proposed and developed by work groups and service providers that operate as a part of the Flint Action Coordination Team, a group organized by Weaver with guidance from the Greater Flint Health Coalition.
70 percent of those who answered the survey reported not knowing the composition of their service line.
"Not knowing the level of lead in their own water, residents may err on the side of caution, choosing to trust bottled water more than filtered tap water," the report says.