Consent Brochure

Attachment I

To learn more about the CDC Water and Health Study
or to ask questions about your participation:
• Visit the study website at http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/study.html
• E-mail us at [email protected]
• Call us at 1-404-639-1700 (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (EST) Monday–Friday)

CDC Water and
Health Study

The CDC Water and Health Study is a research project that will help us better understand
the links between water use and health in communities across the United States. Your
water utility has volunteered to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) on this study. Your participation can help us learn how to continue to maintain a
safe, healthy water supply.

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Everyone benefits from a safe, clean
drinking water supply. Your participation
will provide information that helps the
United States maintain and continue to
improve one of the safest and healthiest
drinking water supplies in the world.

What’s the purpose of the CDC Water and
Health Study?
U.S. tap water is one of the safest and healthiest drinking water
supplies in the world. To keep it as safe and healthy as possible,
we want to know how people use their tap water, and how water
use affects health. The goal of this study is to understand water
use and whether water use habits are linked to common illnesses.
Your feedback will be combined with information from customers
of other water utilities around the country. This information will be
used to help make our water even safer.

Why do you need me to participate?
We want to understand all the ways people in your community
use their water, and everyone’s experiences are important to the
study. We’ll be asking selected water utility customers across the
country to participate in this research study over the next 2 years.
Each and every household we invite is needed to give us the best
understanding of everyone’s experiences.
Even if you don’t drink your tap water, your participation is still
essential.

What will my family and I have to do?
Participation is easy. Either fill out the paper survey booklet and
mail it back to us in the provided postage-paid envelope, or log-on
to the secure survey website link listed on your survey packet and
fill it out on-line.
Up to 6 household members can take part in this study. If family
members under the age of 18 would like to participate, we ask that
an adult (someone who is at least 18 years old) fill out the survey on
their behalf.
The survey should take less than 15 minutes.

Why did you pick my community?
Several utilities from around the country have volunteered to work
with the CDC on the Water and Health Study. By agreeing to be part
of this study, your utility and its customers (like you) are providing
an important contribution to public health.
We are selecting water systems that are typical of those found
across the country. Being selected for the study does not mean
that there is anything unusual about the water service in your
community, and we will not be changing your water in any way as
a part of this study.

How will the CDC Water and Health Study
benefit my family and other water utility
customers?
Everyone benefits from a clean, safe, and healthy drinking water
supply. Your participation will provide information to help the
United States continue to maintain and keep improving one of the
safest and healthiest drinking water supplies in the world.

Are there drawbacks to my participation?
There are no known health risks associated with study participation.

Will you keep my information private?
Yes. When the study is complete, your contact information will
be removed from our files. No personal information about you
will appear on any report. Survey responses will be treated in
a secure manner and will not be disclosed, unless otherwise
compelled by law.

What if I choose not to participate?
There is no penalty if you decide not to participate. However, we
hope that you will choose to participate in this important study.