Municipally provided water is low-cost, considered safe in most communities, and usually fluoridated to improve oral health. Yet, many Chicago region families report relying on other water sources. We investigated if safety and quality concerns were associated with these decisions; we also investigated whether there were spatial trends related to lead risk associated with water choice preferences. We used self-reported water consumption behavior data from the Coordinated Oral Health Promotion (CO-OP) Study, a longitudinal cohort of young children and their families. Respondents' residences (N = 331) were geolocated at the census tract level. We evaluated associations between parent demographics, estimated lead risk and water preferences. Among those who "Never" gave their children tap water, we investigated demographic characteristics associated with viewing tap water as "Not safe". Sixty-five percent (n = 216) of caregivers report that their child "Never" drinks tap water. Ordinal logistic regression indicates that parents aged <30 years are more likely to respond "Never" relative to "Sometimes" or "Always" (OR = 1.89; CI = 1.04, 3.40). Among those in the "Never" category, we grouped reasons into safety concerns (n = 114), observed quality concerns (n = 48), and preference (n = 40). We found that the decision not to give children municipal water is not aligned with the estimated lead risk. Understanding water consumption choice mechanisms is important for communities seeking safe and quality drinking water.
Keywords: lead risk; risk perception; water choice.