Arsenic in Drinking Water - Avoiding Exposure

FOCUS GROUP SCRIPT

Drinking Water Survey

August 1, 2007

SESSION INTRODUCTION AND GROUND RULES

A. Introductions, Purpose of Focus Group, and Ground Rules

1. Moderator is a researcher/faculty at the University of Maine.

2. Review of recruitment process - random selection among households; variation in familiarity with arsenic and use of water treatment systems, arsenic exposure in community, and demographics (income, education, age).

3. Introductions of all participants. Please tell us your first name and town of residence, tell us briefly about who lives in your household, and indicate if you use a private well for drinking water.

4. Purpose of focus group is to help develop a survey about drinking water use and safety in Maine. Target audience is households relying on private wells for drinking water. General topics covered include household use of water; perceptions of drinking water safety; and use of water treatment systems. Specific emphasis is given to arsenic in drinking water.

B. Focus Group Particulars

1. Ground Rules

a. Session is being videotaped.

b. Reassurance that the discussion is strictly confidential, no names will be used in

the reporting, and no one will contact you regarding anything you say or follow-up

with you in any way.

c. Expect the session to last up to 2 hours.

d. Want to hear from everyone. Important that everyone contribute; there are no

right or wrong answers; simply asking for honest opinion. Everyone's opinion is

important.

e. Important for people to speak one at a time; may need to interrupt periodically to

make sure we can hear the responses; ask that you respect the right of others to be

heard and voice opinions which may be different than yours; try not to let the group

sway you in your opinion, just say what you think.

f. Moderator's job is to keep group on task.

2. Primary task - getting feedback on survey questionnaire

a. Treat like survey received in the mail.

b. Complete 1 section at a time.

c. When finish, please do not read ahead; wait quietly while others finish.

d. Write specific comments in the margin.

e. Will discuss each section and then proceed to the next section.

f. Write your first name on each section.

3. Questions

a. Any questions or concerns before we begin

SECTION A. DRINKING WATER IN YOUR HOME

A. Complete Section A.

B. Reactions and Comments

C. Follow-up probes

1. What do you think of when you hear the phrase drinking water?

2. What do you think of when you hear the phrase tap water?

3. Was it difficult to estimate the amount of tap and bottled water your household

consumes?

4. Can you distinguish purchasing for consumption at home and out of the home?

5. Do you buy bottled water for different reasons depending on where the water is consumed?

6. Why do you purchase bottled water? Probe for joint production issues - do households buy it because of convenience, odor, and taste. Is it for consumption outside of the home?

7. How are choices made about drinking water in your home? Do your children drink the same water? Who decides what water the children drink?

SECTION B. QUALITY AND SAFETY OF TAP WATER

A. Complete Section B.

B. Reactions and Comments.

C. Follow-up probes

1. What is "safe" to you, when talking about drinking water?

2. What, if anything, would make you test your tap water?

3. Who has tested their tap water for safety purposes? Where? Was is easy to understand lab results?

4. Is it difficult to remember how often you test?

5. Have respondents announce response to Q. 16.

SECTION C. WATER TREATMENT TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF DRINKING WATER IN YOUR HOME

A. Complete Section C.

B. Reactions and Comments.

C. Follow-up probes

1. What do you think of when you hear the phrases untreated and treated tap water?

2. Does the distinction between permanent and non-permanent systems make sense?

3. What, if anything, would make you purchase a permanent treatment system?

4. Have respondents announce response to Q. 23 and Q. 24.

SECTION D. ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER

A. Complete Section D.

B. Reactions and Comments.

C. Follow-up probes

1. Have respondents announce response to Q. 27. Discuss what they have heard about arsenic in drinking water in Maine - what have they heard and from whom.

2. Is anyone treating for arsenic? (Q. 36) - what are you doing? Could you estimate the costs and describe the treatment system? Timing of purchase? Maintenance issues?

3. Discuss Q. 40- Q. 41 at length. Hard or easy to fill out? Confusing? How certain are you about your responses?

4. Discuss maintenance issues. Who does the maintenance? Service contracts? How frequently?

SECTIONS E and F. ARSENIC RISKS IN TREATED/UNTREATED DRINKING WATER

A. Complete Section E/Section F.

B. Reactions and Comments.

C. Follow-up probes

1. Q.45/Q. 47/Q. 49 – discuss at length. Hard or easy to complete? Able to distinguish different levels? Certainty about response? Other ways the information might be presented?

2. Q. 46/Q.48/Q. 50 – discuss at length. Did you think your risk was high or low? Why? Ease or difficulty in completing? Other ways to present information?

SECTION G. TREATING ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER

A. Complete Section G

B. Reactions and Comments.

C. Follow-up probes

1. Q. 51 - questions or concerns - did you know the average level in your town? What do you think of when you hear the phrase current water?

2. Q. 52 - talk about how you answered this question - what information did you use; confusing; difficult?

3. Q. 53 - what are your reactions to the proposed technology?

4. Q. 54 - talk about how you answered this question - what information did you use; confusing; difficult?

5. Have respondents announce response to Q. 55 and describe how they made that decision.

SECTION H. DEMOGRAPHICS

A. Complete Section H.

B. Reactions and Comments.

C. Follow-up probes

1. Q. 62 - able to fill out ?

2. Q. 63 - what do you think about when describing the health of your household?

OVERALL REACTION

REVISITING PRESENTATION OF EXPOSURE AND RISK INFORMATION

A. Arsenic levels

B. Risk of dying from cancer

C. Reactions to alternative risk information.

D. Overall burden?

DRINKING WATER SURVEY

AUGUST 1, 2007

Note: In sections E, F, and G the type of cancer will vary across survey versions to include lung, bladder, and both lung and bladder. In section G the town specific arsenic level will vary between 0 and 50 parts per billion. In section G the technology endpoints will vary between 0 (i.e., eliminate arsenic) to a 3 and 10 percent reduction.

We have also included notes for each section on areas we will specifically request input during the focus groups. These areas of focus are in addition to general inquiries regarding the ease in answering questions, clarity of the survey directions and questions, and other issues that may arise in responding to the questions. See the focus group script for further details.

SECTION A. DRINKING WATER IN YOUR HOME

We would like to begin by asking a few questions about drinking and tap water in your home. Home refers to the address where this survey was mailed. Drinking water includes water you drink directly and water used in making other beverages such as coffee, tea, and lemonade. Tap water is the water that comes from the faucets in your home.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: We specifically need to learn reasons for bottled water consumption both in and outside the home, and if households use a different source of water for children and adults (i.e., do the children and adults in the household have different water-use profiles. Pending responses to the children/adult water-use profile inquiry we will modify the questionnaire accordingly.

1. Do you own or rent your home? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 OWN

2 RENT

3 OTHER (Please explain):_________________________________________

2. Approximately how long have you lived in your current home? (FILL IN THE BLANK)

__________YEARS

3. What is the source of your home’s tap water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY

2 PRIVATE WELL

3 COMMUNITY WELL

4 OTHER (Please explain):_________________________________________

5 DON’T KNOW

4. In a typical week, how many gallons of tap water does your household drink? Please try to make your best guess. A gallon is equal to 4 quarts; 8 pints; or 16 8-ounce glasses of tap water. (FILL IN THE BLANK)

_____ GALLONS IN A TYPICAL WEEK

5. Do you buy bottled water for members of your household to drink?

(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 YES

2 NO  SKIP TO SECTION B

6. In a typical week, how many gallons of bottled water does your household drink. Please try to make your best guess. (FILL IN THE BLANK)

_____ GALLONS IN A TYPICAL WEEK

7. Approximately how many of these GALLONS are consumed at home?

_____ GALLONS CONSUMED AT HOME IN A TYPICAL WEEK

8. Why do you purchase bottled water for your household to drink at home?

(CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1. BOTTLED WATER IS SAFER TO DRINK THAN TAP WATER

2. BOTTLED WATER TASTES, LOOKS OR SMELLS BETTER

3. BOTTLED WATER IS MORE CONVENIENT

4. OTHER (Please explain):_________________________________________

5 DO NOT PURCHASE BOTTLED WATER TO DRINK AT HOME

9. Why do you purchase bottled water for your household to drink outside of your home?

(CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1 BOTTLED WATER IS SAFER TO DRINK THAN TAP WATER

2 BOTTLED WATER TASTES, LOOKS OR SMELLS BETTER

3 BOTTLED WATER IS MORE CONVENIENT

4 OTHER (Please explain):_________________________________________

5 DO NOT PURCHASE BOTTLED WATER TO DRINK OUTSIDE OF HOME

SECTION B. quality and safety of tap water

In this section, we ask you about the quality and safety of your home’s tap water.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: Inquiries in this section will focus on the clarity and ease in answering the questions on water testing.

10. Have you ever had your home’s tap water tested to see if it is safe to drink?

(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1. YES

2 NO  SKIP TO SECTION C

11. Why have you tested to see if your tap water is safe to drink?

(CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1 safety pRECAUTION

2 ODOR OR TASTE PROBLEM

3 STAINING OR COLOR PROBLEM

4 NEIGHBOR, FRIEND OR RELATIVE had DRINKING water problems

5 received a notice from the State

6 part of home inspection AND sale

7 CHECKING EFFECTIVENESS OF WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

8 TEST FOR SPECIFIC CONTAMINANT (Please describe):______________________

9 Other (Please explain):____________________________________________

12. How often do you have the tap water in your home tested to see if it is safe to drink?

(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR

2 ABOUT ONCE A YEAR

3 ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS

4 ABOUT ONCE EVERY 4 TO 5 YEARS

5 LESS THAN ONCE EVERY 5 YEARS

6 DON’T KNOW

13. Who conducted the tests of the tap water in your home to see if it is safe to drink? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 STATE WATER TESTING LAB

2 PRIVATE WATER TESTING LAB

3 OTHER (Please explain):______________________________

14. When did you most recently test your home’s tap water to see if it was safe to drink?

(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS

2 OVER ONE BUT LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AGO

3 OVER FIVE BUT LESS THAN TEN YEARS AGO

4 MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO

5 DON’T KNOW

15. Have any tests of your tap water ever indicated safe or unsafe levels of these contaminants?

(FOR EACH CONTAMINANT, CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.)

	SAFE	UNSAFE	DID NOT TEST	DON’T KNOW
Arsenic	1	2	3	4
Bacteria	1	2	3	4
LEAD	1	2	3	4
Nitrates/Nitrites	1	2	3	4
URANIUM	1	2	3	4
Radon	1	2	3	4

16. What actions has your household ever taken to improve the safety of your tap water?

(CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1 NO ACTION

2 TESTED WATER FOR CONTAMINANTS

3 BOILED WATER BEFORE USE

4 STARTED or INCREASED USE OF BOTTLED WATER

5 STARTED or INCREASED USE OF FILTRATION PITCHER (FOR EXAMPLE, BRITA OR PUR)

6 INSTALLED A NEW WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

7 REQUESTED MAINTENANCE ON EXISTING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

8 DRILLED ANOTHER WELL

9 SWITCHED TO PUBLIC OR MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY

10 OTHER (Please explain):_______________________________________

17. Did you share the results of your water tests with your neighbors? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 YES

2 NO

3 DON'T KNOW

SECTION C. WATER TREATMENT TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF DRINKING WATER IN YOUR HOME

In this section, we ask about water treatment systems households use to make sure the water in the home is safe to drink. There are many home water treatment systems available in the market. An example of a non-permanent system is a filtering pitcher, such as Brita or PUR. Permanently installed systems include a filter or cartridge attached to a faucet or installed under the kitchen sink, or a whole-house treatment system installed in the basement.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: Inquiries in this section will focus on the clarity and ease in answering the questions on water safety and treatment, as well as the reasons for treatment in order to uncover the potential joint products that are purchased through water treatment (see Q21).

18. Some households treat their tap water before drinking. Other households drink water directly from the tap. When answering this question, think about the safety of your tap water prior to any form of treatment - your untreated tap water.

How do you rate the safety of your untreated tap water for drinking? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1. VERY SAFE

2. SOMEWHAT SAFE

3. SOMEWHAT UNSAFE

4 VERY UNSAFE

19. Does your household use any type of water treatment system (non-permanent or permanent) to ensure the safety of your tap water for drinking? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 YES

2 NO  SKIP TO SECTION D

20. How do you rate the safety of your treated tap water for drinking? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 VERY SAFE

2 SOMEWHAT SAFE

3 SOMEWHAT UNSAFE

4 VERY UNSAFE

21. Why do you use a water treatment system?

(CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1 GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTION

2 ODOR PROBLEM

3 TASTE PROBLEM

4 STAINING OR COLOR PROBLEM

5 HARDNESS OF WATER

6 OTHER (Please explain): ______________________________________

22. Do you use a water treatment system to remove any of the following contaminants? (FOR EACH CONTAMINANT, CIRCLE ONE RESPONSE.)

	PRIMARY REASON	SECONDARY REASON	NOT A REASON	DON’T KNOW
Arsenic	1	2	3	4
Bacteria	1	2	3	4
Iron	1	2	3	4
Lead	1	2	3	4
Nitrates/Nitrites	1	2	3	4
URANIUM	1	2	3	4
Radon	1	2	3	4
OTHER	1	2	3	4

23. What types of non-permanent water treatment systems do you use to ensure the safety of your tap water for drinking? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 NO NON-PERMANENT WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS IN HOME

2 PITCHER OR BOTTLE WITH FILTER (FOR EXAMPLE, BRITA or PUR)

3 OTHER (Please explain):_________________________________

4 OTHER (Please explain):_________________________________

24. What types of permanently installed water treatment systems do you use to ensure the safety of your tap water for drinking? (CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1 NO PERMANENTLY INSTALLED SYSTEM IN HOME  SKIP TO SECTION D

2 SYSTEM ATTACHED TO A FAUCET THAT TREATS WATER AT 1 TAP

3 SYSTEM INSTALLED UNDER THE SINK THAT TREATS WATER AT 1 TAP

4 SYSTEM INSTALLED IN REFRIGERATOR THAT TREATS WATER AT 1 TAP

5 WHOLE HOUSE SYSTEM INSTALLED THAT TREATS WATER DISPENSED FROM ALL FAUCETS AND TAPS

6 OTHER (Please explain):______________________________________________

7 DON’T KNOW

25. Who purchased the permanently installed water treatment system(s) in your home? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 MEMBER OF MY HOUSEHOLD MADE DECISION TO PURCHASE SYSTEM

2 SYSTEM WAS IN PLACE WHEN MOVED INTO THE HOME

SECTION D. Arsenic in Drinking water

In this section, we ask questions about arsenic contamination of tap water. Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical found in some soil and rocks in Maine. In some areas, past use of arsenic-containing pesticides may add to any arsenic contamination of well water. People who drink water high in arsenic (greater than 10 parts per billion) for many years are more likely to get [TYPE] cancer.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: In this section we will vary the type of cancer discussed across the focus groups, addressing lung cancer, bladder cancer, and both types of cancer simultaneously across the focus groups. The purpose of the different treatments is to determine if the type of cancer makes a difference in individual’s responses to the survey. We also will probe respondents to determine if they install a treatment system for reasons other than or in addition to reducing arsenic exposure in order to uncover the potential joint products that are purchased through treatment.

26. Before receiving this survey, had you ever heard of arsenic being a problem in Maine’s

groundwater and private wells? (CIRCLE ONE RESPONSE)

1 YES

2 NO

27. How do you rate your familiarity with arsenic in groundwater and private wells?

(CIRCLE ONE RESPONSE)

1 VERY FAMILIAR

2 SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR

3 NEITHER FAMILIAR OR UNFAMILIAR

4 SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR

5 VERY UNFAMILIAR

28. Some areas in Maine have groundwater and private wells with high levels of arsenic. Do you think you live in one of these areas? (CIRCLE ONE RESPONE)

1 YES

2 NO

29. Elevated levels of arsenic in drinking water can result in serious health effects. Before receiving this survey, which, if any, of the following health effects did you associate with arsenic in water? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 LUNG CANCER 7 HEART PROBLEMS

2 BLADDER CANCER 8 REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS

3 SKIN CANCER 9 KIDNEY DISEASE

4 PROSTATE CANCER 10 NONE OF THE ABOVE

5 OTHER FORM OF CANCER 11 UNSURE

6 STOMACH PROBLEMS 12 OTHER (Please explain):__________________

30. Arsenic is not included in all water tests. Have you ever tested your tap water for arsenic?

1 YES

2 NO

3 DON'T KNOW

31. Have you ever had any concerns about the level of arsenic in your home’s tap water?

(CIRCLE ONE RESPONSE)

1 YES

2 NO  SKIP TO QUESTION 32

32. What caused you to have concerns about the level of arsenic in your home’s tap water?

(CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 DID WATER TEST AND DISCOVERED LEVEL OF ARSENIC

2 My neighbors had HIGH LEVELS OF ARSENIC

3 NEWSPAPER, TELEVISION OR RADIO COVERAGE

4 received a notice from the State

5 LEARNED ABOUT ARSENIC AS part of home inspection/sale

6 LIVE IN A TOWN WHERE LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE HIGH ARSENIC LEVELS IN THEIR WELLS

7 READ STATE BROCHURE ON ARSENIC, URANIUM and RADON IN WELLS

8 OTHER (Please explain):___________________________________________

33. Has your household taken any of the following actions because of concerns over the arsenic level in your home’s tap water? (CIRCLE ALL NUMBERS THAT APPLY)

1 NO ACTION

2 TESTED WATER FOR ARSENIC LEVEL

3 BOILED WATER BEFORE USE

4 STARTED or INCREASED USE OF BOTTLED WATER

5 STARTED or INCREASED USE OF FILTRATION PITCHER (FOR EXAMPLE, BRITA OR PUR)

6 INSTALLED A NEW WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

7 REQUESTED MAINTENANCE ON EXISTING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

8 DRILLED ANOTHER WELL

9 SWITCHED TO PUBLIC OR MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY

10 OTHER (Please explain):_______________________________________

34. Have any of your neighbors had their tap water tested for arsenic?

(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 YES

2 NO

3 DON’T KNOW

35. Do any of your neighbors treat their tap water to remove arsenic?

(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 YES

2 NO

3 DON’T KNOW

36. Does your household have a water treatment system to lower the arsenic level in your home's tap water?

1 YES

2 NO  SKIP TO SECTION F

37. When did you purchase this water treatment system because of concerns over the level of arsenic in your tap water? (FILL IN THE APPROXIMATE YEAR BELOW.)

___________ YEAR

38. What type of system did you purchase?

1 WHOLE HOUSE (TREATS ALL WATER IN THE HOME)

2 POINT OF USE (TREATES WATER AT 1 TAP, SUCH AS UNDER THE SINK OR ON THE FAUCET)

3 NON-PERMANENT SYSTEM (FOR EXAMPLE, BRITA OR PUR)

39. What form of treatment does this system use to lower the level of arsenic in your tap water? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 FILTER OR PITCHER (FOR EXAMPLE, BRITA OR PUR)

2 ADSORPTIVE OR ACTIVATED MEDIA

3 REVERSE OSMOSIS

4 ANION EXCHANGE

5 IRON TREATMENT

6 DISTALLATION

7 OTHER (Please explain):______________________________________________

8 DON’T KNOW

40. Approximately how much in total have you spent on purchasing and installing the water treatment system to reduce or eliminate arsenic in your tap water? (FILL IN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BELOW; IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, PLEASE GIVE YOUR BEST ESTIMATE)

$__________ FOR PURCHASING AND INSTALLING THE SYSTEM

41. Approximately how much do you spend per year maintaining the water treatment system to reduce or eliminate arsenic in your tap water? (FILL IN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BELOW; IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, PLEASE GIVE YOUR BEST ESTIMATE)

$__________ PER YEAR

42. Who provides maintenance to your system including filters? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD

2 PRIVATE VENDOR

43. Do you have a service contract to maintain your system? (CIRCLE ONE RESPONSE)

1 YES

2 NO

44. How often do you or your vendor change the water filter or cartridges?

1 MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR

2 ABOUT ONCE A YEAR

3 ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS

4 ABOUT ONCE EVERY 4 TO 5 YEARS

5 LESS THAN ONCE EVERY 5 YEARS

6 DON’T KNOW

SECTION E. ARSENIC RISKS IN TREATED Drinking water

In 2001, the US EPA set an upper limit for arsenic in drinking water of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Public water supplies are required to have arsenic levels less than 10 ppb. The Maine Center for Disease Control and State Water Testing Lab use this same level as guide to instruct residents about the safety of their private well water. Arsenic levels above 10 ppb are considered unsafe.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: We consider sections E, F, and G to be a central part of the focus group discussions. We will vary the visual presentation of the risk information and questions across focus groups, including the textual presentation seen below, as well as a risk ladder and grid format sometimes used in presenting risk information. We will also probe respondents to determine the ease with which they can respond to these questions. To the extent that these questions are too difficult or burdensome we will consider using simpler formats such as “safe”, “unsafe” to describe risks. We will also make sure that the skip patterns are clear.

45. Below are various arsenic levels found in Maine’s groundwater. Lower arsenic levels are safer. How much arsenic do you think is in your untreated water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 50 ppb

2 45 ppb

3 40 ppb

4 35 ppb

5 30 ppb

6 25 ppb

7 20 ppb

8 15 ppb

9 10 ppb

10 5 ppb

11 0 ppb

46. For each level of arsenic contamination, the likelihood an average person drinking about a quart of arsenic-laced water a day over their lifetime will die from [TYPE] cancer is listed below. You may face a larger or smaller risk depending on your age, health and how much water you drink. Considering these factors and the amount of arsenic you think is in your untreated water, how likely do you think it is that you will die from [TYPE] cancer? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

ARSENIC RISK OF DYING

CONTAMINATION FROM [LUNG]

LEVEL CANCER

1 50 ppb 1 in 124

2 45 ppb 1 in 134

3 40 ppb 1 in 144

4 35 ppb 1 in 153

5 30 ppb 1 in 163

6 25 ppb 1 in 173

7 20 ppb 1 in 182

8 15 ppb 1 in 261

9 10 ppb 1 in 340

10 5 ppb 1 in 605

11 0 ppb 1 in 1546

47. Below are various arsenic levels found in Maine’s groundwater. Lower arsenic levels are safer. How much arsenic do you think is in your treated water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 50 ppb

2 45 ppb

3 40 ppb

4 35 ppb

5 30 ppb

6 25 ppb

7 20 ppb

8 15 ppb

9 10 ppb

10 5 ppb

11 0 ppb

48. For each level of arsenic contamination, the likelihood an average person drinking about a quart of arsenic-laced water a day over their lifetime will die from [TYPE] cancer is listed below. You may face a larger or smaller risk depending on your age, health and how much water you drink. Considering these factors and the amount of arsenic you think is in your treated water, how likely do you think it is that you will die from [TYPE] cancer? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

ARSENIC RISK OF DYING

CONTAMINATION FROM [LUNG]

LEVEL CANCER

1 50 ppb 1 in 124

2 45 ppb 1 in 134

3 40 ppb 1 in 144

4 35 ppb 1 in 153

5 30 ppb 1 in 163

6 25 ppb 1 in 173

7 20 ppb 1 in 182

8 15 ppb 1 in 261

9 10 ppb 1 in 340

10 5 ppb 1 in 605

11 0 ppb 1 in 1546

SKIP TO SECTION G

SECTION F. Arsenic RISKS in UNTREATED Drinking water

In 2001, the US EPA set an upper limit for arsenic in drinking water of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Public water supplies are required to have arsenic levels less than 10 ppb. The Maine Center for Disease Control and State Water Testing Lab use this same level as guide to instruct residents about the safety of their private well water. Arsenic levels above 10 ppb are considered unsafe.

49. Below are various arsenic levels found in Maine’s groundwater. Lower arsenic levels are safer. How much arsenic do you think is in your untreated water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 50 ppb

2 45 ppb

3 40 ppb

4 35 ppb

5 30 ppb

6 25 ppb

7 20 ppb

8 15 ppb

9 10 ppb

10 5 ppb

11 0 ppb

50. For each level of arsenic contamination, the likelihood an average person drinking about a quart of arsenic-laced water a day over their lifetime will die from [TYPE] cancer is listed below. You may face a larger or smaller risk depending on your age, health and how much water you drink. Considering these factors and the amount of arsenic you think is in your untreated water, how likely do you think it is that you will die from [TYPE] cancer? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

ARSENIC RISK OF DYING

CONTAMINATION FROM [LUNG]

LEVEL CANCER

1 50 ppb 1 in 124

2 45 ppb 1 in 134

3 40 ppb 1 in 144

4 35 ppb 1 in 153

5 30 ppb 1 in 163

6 25 ppb 1 in 173

7 20 ppb 1 in 182

8 15 ppb 1 in 261

9 10 ppb 1 in 340

10 5 ppb 1 in 605

11 0 ppb 1 in 1546

SECTION G. TREATING ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER

There are several ways you can specially treat your drinking water to decrease the amount of arsenic. In this section we want to know which treatment would prefer, regardless of the whether or not you have a system in place now.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: In addition to the issues that we will explore as described in the Section E introduction above, we will explore respondent’s reactions to the valuation questions and the degree to which they are able to provide meaningful responses.

51. The average level of arsenic found in your town is X parts per billion (ppb). Taking into account any water treatment technologies you might currently have in place and the information about your town’s current level of arsenic contamination, how much arsenic do you think is in your drinking water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 50 ppb

2 45 ppb

3 40 ppb

4 35 ppb

5 30 ppb

6 25 ppb

7 20 ppb

8 15 ppb

9 10 ppb

10 5 ppb

11 0 ppb

52. For each level of arsenic contamination, the likelihood an average person drinking about a quart of arsenic-laced water a day over their lifetime will die from [TYPE] cancer is listed below. You may face a larger or smaller risk depending on your age, health and how much water you drink. Considering these factors and the amount of arsenic you think is in your drinking water, how likely do you think it is that you will die from [TYPE] cancer if you continue to drink your current water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

ARSENIC RISK OF DYING

CONTAMINATION FROM [LUNG]

LEVEL CANCER

1 50 ppb 1 in 124

2 45 ppb 1 in 134

3 40 ppb 1 in 144

4 35 ppb 1 in 153

5 30 ppb 1 in 163

6 25 ppb 1 in 173

7 20 ppb 1 in 182

8 15 ppb 1 in 261

9 10 ppb 1 in 340

10 5 ppb 1 in 605

11 0 ppb 1 in 1546

53. Assume there is a new filtering treatment that can [ELIMINATE] all of the arsenic in your water - reduce the arsenic contamination to 0 ppb. If you installed this new treatment, how much arsenic do you think would be in your drinking water? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 50 ppb

2 45 ppb

3 40 ppb

4 35 ppb

5 30 ppb

6 25 ppb

7 20 ppb

8 15 ppb

9 10 ppb

10 5 ppb

11 0 ppb

54. The new treatment will not affect the water’s taste, smell or appearance. In addition, the treatment only eliminates arsenic– it will not reduce the amount of bacteria or other contaminants in your water. This technology can be used in addition to any other water treatment technology you have in place. Assume you install this new treatment, considering your age, health and the amount of arsenic-laden water you have drunk in the past, how likely do you think it is that you will die from [TYPE] cancer? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

ARSENIC RISK OF DYING

CONTAMINATION FROM [LUNG]

LEVEL CANCER

1 50 ppb 1 in 124

2 45 ppb 1 in 134

3 40 ppb 1 in 144

4 35 ppb 1 in 153

5 30 ppb 1 in 163

6 25 ppb 1 in 173

7 20 ppb 1 in 182

8 15 ppb 1 in 261

9 10 ppb 1 in 340

10 5 ppb 1 in 605

11 0 ppb 1 in 1546

55. The above technology costs money to buy, install and maintain. Assume the cost of buying, installing and maintaining the technology is $[XX.XX] per year. Would your purchase the arsenic reducing technology? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 YES, I WOULD HAVE THE ARSENIC-REDUCING TECHNOLOGY INSTALLED IN MY HOME

2 NO, I WOULD NOT HAVE THE ARSENIC-REDUCING TECHNOLOGY

INSTALLED IN MY HOME

56. Why did you make the choice you did in question 55? ________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Section H. Demographics

In this section, we ask additional questions about the members of your household. Your responses to these questions will also help us understand why different households take different actions to protect their drinking water.

FOR FOCUS GROUPS: In this section we will probe respondent’s comfort level in answering the health and income questions, in addition to their overall thoughts regarding these questions.

57. How old are you? (FILL IN THE BLANK)

__________ YEARS

58. What is your gender? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 MALE

2 FEMALE

59. What is the highest level of education you have received? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 LESS THAN 9TH GRADE

2 9TH TO 12TH GRADE, NO DIPLOMA

3 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE (OR EQUIVALENCY)

4 ASSOCIATE DEGREE

5 BACHELOR’S DEGREE

6 GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL DEGREE

60. On each of the lines below, please put the number of people in each age group who currently live in your household. Include yourself in the count.

_______ UNDER 3 YEARS OLD _______ 25-44 YEARS OLD

_______ 3-5 YEARS OLD _______ 45-64 YEARS OLD

_______ 6-17 YEARS OLD _______ OVER 64 YEARS OLD

_______ 18-24 YEARS OLD

61. Does anyone in your household smoke? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1. YES

2. NO

62. How would you rate the health of the members of your household at the present time?

1 VERY POOR

2 POOR

3 FAIR

4 GOOD

5 VERY GOOD

63. Does anyone in your household have any of the following conditions?

1 LUNG CANCER 6 STOMACH PROBLEMS

2 BLADDER CANCER 7 HEART PROBLEMS

3 SKIN CANCER 8 REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS

4 PROSTATE CANCER 9 KIDNEY DISEASE

5 OTHER FORM OF CANCER 10 OTHER (Please explain):________________

64. Are the members of your household covered by health insurance?

1 YES

2 NO

65. What was your total household income in 2006? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 Less than $10,000 7 $60,001 - $70,000

2 $10,001 - $20,000 8 $70,001 - $80,000

3 $20,001 - $30,000 9 $80,001 - $90,000

4 $30,001 - $40,000 10 $90,001 - $100,000

5 $40,001 - $50,000 11 $100,001 - $250,000

6 $50,001 - $60,000 12 MORE THAN $250,001

21

DRAFT. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE OR CITE.