5800-078 Water Quality Survey

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

A survey on water quality in rivers,
lakes, and streams

This collection of information is approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. (OMB Control No.
2090-NEW). Responses to this collection of information are voluntary (40 CFR 9). An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public
reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to be 20 minutes per response. Send
comments on the Agency’s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates and any suggested
methods for minimizing respondent burden to the Regulatory Support Division Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(2821T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Include the OMB control number in any correspondence. Do not
send the completed form to this address.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

No personally identifiable information will be associated with your survey responses. The
reports prepared from this study will summarize our findings and will not report individual
responses.

This survey is being conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency to collect
information that may inform future decisions affecting water quality and your household
expenses.

The survey will…
1.

Describe the impacts of pollution in lakes, rivers, and streams in the U.S.

2.

Ask you to vote for or against potential policies that would improve the quality of
some rivers, lakes, and streams. If implemented, policies would also increase costs
to your household.

3.

Ask some additional questions about water quality and your household.

EPA Form: 5800-078

Outdoor Water Quality

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Good water quality in freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams allows for a full range of uses
and can support a rich community of plants and animals.
In this survey we will ask about policies that would affect two major categories of water
quality in lakes, rivers, and streams:
• Water Recreation – The suitability of waterbodies for boating, fishing, and swimming
• Aquatic Biodiversity – The ability of waterbodies to support healthy and diverse
populations of naturally occurring plants and animals

The policies you will be asked to consider in this survey will not affect public drinking water
or groundwater supplies and would not affect the quality of drinking water for most
households.

EPA Form: 5800-078

Your Trips to Lakes, Rivers, and Streams

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

During the past 12 months have you taken a recreation trip to a freshwater lake, river, or stream?
Activities could include swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, viewing nature, etc.
❑ Yes
❑ No

During the past 12 months have you gone fishing in freshwater?
❑ Yes
❑ No

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Single-Day Trips to Lakes, Rivers, and Streams A
single-day trip to a freshwater lake, river, or stream is one for which you returned home on the
same day you left.
To your best recollection, during the last 12 months, how many single-day trips from your home
did you take where the primary purpose was recreation in, on, or near fresh water?
____________
If you took at least one single-day trip in the last 12 months, what was the main purpose of your
MOST RECENT TRIP? Please mark only one option below.
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑

Swimming or any other activity in the water
Fishing
Boating
Viewing nature
Other

If you took at least one single-day trip, about how many miles from your home did you travel for
your MOST RECENT TRIP? ___________ miles

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

On the next few screens we will describe the information you will be given about the
policies before you vote.
We would like you to carefully consider each of these policy features when making
your decision.
Those policy features are
1. How much water would be affected
2. What improvements in water quality you could expect
3. Where the policies would be implemented
4. The cost to your household of implementing each policy

EPA Form: 5800-078

How much water would be improved?
OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The amount of water improved by a policy is described using surface area. Surface
area is the amount of water that can be seen from above.
When describing the policies you will vote on, we will tell you how many square miles
of lakes, rivers, and streams would be improved.
Calculating surface area of
rivers and streams

EPA Form: 5800-078

Calculating surface area of
lakes

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The Water Recreation Score is a measure of how suitable a lake, river, or
stream is for different recreational activities.
As the score increases, water quality improves, and waterbodies are suitable
for more types of activities. The three activities that are taken into
consideration are:
• Boating
• Fishing
• Swimming

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Water quality experts use a variety of scientific measurements to determine
the Water Recreation Score.
Some of the measurements they use are:
• Fecal coliform - harmful bacteria from sewage
• Dissolved oxygen - the amount of oxygen in the water for aquatic life
• Water clarity - how far below the surface we can see an object
• Nutrients - too much nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer and sewage
leads to excessive algae growth which can be harmful to wildlife and
people

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The Water Recreation Score ranges from 1 to 100.
A waterbody can be not suitable, suitable, or good for a recreational activity.
• Not Suitable means that the minimum criteria for that activity are not met
• Suitable means that the waterbody meets the minimum criteria for that activity
• Good means that the waterbody exceeds the criteria for that activity and the experience is
enhanced by good water quality

0

50

25
Not suitable for
boating, fishing, or
swimming

Suitable for boating,
but not suitable for
fishing or swimming

70
Good for boating,
suitable for fishing,
but not suitable for
swimming

100
Good for boating and
fishing, and suitable
or good for swimming

Example: A Water Recreation Score of 55 means that, on average, water quality in the region is
good for boating, suitable for fishing, but not suitable for swimming. If the Water Recreation Score
increased from 55 to 62 it would mean that, on average, conditions would improve for boating
and fishing and but still not suitable for swimming.
EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Scientists use an Aquatic Biodiversity Score to measure the overall ecological
health of a lake, river, or stream.
This score compares the number of different species that live in a water body to
the number that would be expected to live in the same type of water body in the
same region under the best possible conditions.

Scientists estimate the aquatic biodiversity score by
counting the number of aquatic invertebrates that live
in the water such as insects, worms, and snails.
This measure is closely related to the biodiversity of a
broad range of species groups, including plants,
amphibians, fish, and shellfish.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The Aquatic Biodiversity Score ranges from 0% to 100%, as shown below.

0%

25%

0% implies zero naturally
occurring species are present.

50%

50% implies that half of the
naturally occurring species are
present in the water body

75%

100%

100% implies that all of the naturally
occurring species are present

For example: If 120 different plant and animal species live in a lake, and under the best
possible conditions 200 species would live in the same type of lake in the same region,
then the biodiversity score would be 120 / 200 = 0.6, or 60%.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

A watershed is an area of land where all water flows into one major waterbody. This map shows
the major watersheds of the U.S. Policies will only have a noticeable effect on lakes, rivers, and
streams in the watersheds where they are implemented. We will use maps like this one to show
the Policy Regions where the changes in water quality would occur.
The Policy Regions could include one or more watersheds shown on the map.
The policies would not affect any coastal waters next to the shaded area or any lakes, rivers, and
streams outside of the Policy Region.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

This map shows the Surface Area of lakes, rivers, and streams, in each watershed. The
numbers on the map show the combined square miles of all lakes, rivers and streams in the
watershed.
When describing policies, we will tell you the total square miles of lakes rivers and streams
in the Policy Region.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

This map shows the current average Water Recreation Score for each watershed.
When describing the policies, we will tell you the current average score in the Policy
Region and how it would change under the new policy. Individual lakes, rivers and
streams may have a Water Recreation Score that is higher or lower than the average in
the Policy Region.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

This map shows the current average Aquatic Biodiversity Score for each watershed.
When describing the policies, we will tell you the current score and how it would change
under the new policy. Individual lakes, rivers and streams may have an Aquatic
Biodiversity Score that is higher or lower than the average in the Policy Region.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

What Policies Would Require

Policies to meet water quality standards typically require different sources to reduce
the amount of pollution they release into lakes, rivers, and streams.
Some examples are
• More thorough treatment of wastewater (sewage) before releasing into waterways
• Changing the way rainfall is handled when the land is developed
• Reducing the amount of fertilizer, soil, and animal waste that runs off farmland
• Stricter limits on pollution that industrial sources release into waterways
On the next screen we will tell you how those changes are paid for and how the costs
would be passed onto your household.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

How Policies Would Be Paid For

If implemented, a policy would be paid for by increases in your federal, state,
and local taxes. The increases would last for 5 years and would end after that
time. The tax increase would begin in 2024 and end in 2028.

These additional tax payments would be used to
• Pay for the up-front costs of the new practices such as purchasing and
installing equipment and new construction
• Pay into a fund that would be used to maintain improvements into the
future even after the tax ends
These additional taxes and the fund they go into would only be used to meet
the new water quality requirements and would be prohibited from being used
for anything else.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The questions on the following pages will ask you to vote for or against a particular
policy. Each policy will be described using policy features you have been reading
about.
The table below shows how those features might differ from one policy to another.
Policy Feature

Smallest possible policy impacts

Largest possible policy impacts

Square miles of
improved waters

3,100 square miles
(3% of U.S. lakes, rivers, and
streams)

105,000 square miles
(100% U.S. lakes, rivers, and
streams)

Average
Recreation Score
(out of 100)

1-point improvement

10-point improvement

Average
Biodiversity Score
(out of 100%)

1% improvement

10% improvement

$20 per year for 5 years

$500 per year for 5 years

Annual cost to your
household for 5
years
EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Your responses to this survey may inform future policy decisions that, if
implemented, will improve the quality of some lakes, rivers, and streams and
increase costs to your household.
Remember, voting for a policy is just one of the many ways you can spend your
money. Paying for water quality improvements will reduce the amount of
money you have to spend on things like:
• Food and clothes
• Vacations
• Education
• Donations to charitable organizations
• Resolving other environmental problems you care about
Please keep these other expenses in mind when voting for or against a policy.
You will now be asked to consider potential water quality policies.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

No
Policy
Square miles of lakes, rivers, and
streams in policy region
Average Recreation Score
Average Biodiversity Score
Increase in your annual taxes for
5 years
Please select your preferred
option:
EPA Form: 5800-078

With
Policy

2,594 square miles
(2% of US total)
79 out of 100
(No change)
59% of species found
(No change)

2,594 square miles
(2% of US total)
80 out of 100
(1-point improvement)
60% of species found
(1% improvement)

$0

$20 per year for 5 years

[ ] NO Policy

[ ] THIS Policy

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The next questions asks you to vote on a different policy.
Please disregard the previous question and now imagine the next
question is the only one available.
Policies in different questions should not be compared to each other.
Do not add up water quality improvements or costs across different
questions.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

No
Policy
Square miles of lakes, rivers, and
streams in policy region
Average Recreation Score
Average Biodiversity Score
Increase in your annual taxes for
5 years
Please select your preferred
option:
EPA Form: 5800-078

With
Policy

83,400 square miles
(79% of US total)
79 out of 100
(No change)
71% of species found
(No change)

83,400 square miles
(79% of US total)
82 out of 100
(3-point improvement)
74% of species found
(3% improvement)

$0

$50 per year for 5 years

[ ] NO Policy

[ ] THIS Policy

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The next questions asks you to vote on a different policy.
Please disregard the previous question and now imagine the next
question is the only one available.
Policies in different questions should not be compared to each other.
Do not add up water quality improvements or costs across different
questions.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

No
Policy
Square miles of lakes, rivers, and
streams in policy region
Average Recreation Score
Average Biodiversity Score

Increase in your annual taxes for
5 years
Please select your preferred
option:
EPA Form: 5800-078

With
Policy

8,160 square miles
(8% of US total)
43 out of 100
(No change)
70% of species found
(No change)

8,160 square miles
(8% of US total)
50 out of 100
(7-point improvement)
80% of species found
(10% improvement)

$0

$75 per year for 5 years

[ ] NO Policy

[ ] THIS Policy

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The next questions asks you to vote on a different policy.
Please disregard the previous question and now imagine the next
question is the only one available.
Policies in different questions should not be compared to each other.
Do not add up water quality improvements or costs across different
questions.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

No
Policy
Square miles of lakes, rivers, and
streams in policy region
Average Recreation Score
Average Biodiversity Score

Increase in your annual taxes for
5 years
Please select your preferred
option:
EPA Form: 5800-078

With
Policy

21,603 square miles
(21% of US total)
49 out of 100
(No change)
71% of species found
(No change)

21,603 square miles
(21% of US total)
54 out of 100
(5-point improvement)
72% of species found
(1% improvement)

$0

$150 per year for 5 years

[ ] NO Policy

[ ] THIS Policy

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

The next questions asks you to vote on a different policy.
Please disregard the previous question and now imagine the next
question is the only one available.
Policies in different questions should not be compared to each other.
Do not add up water quality improvements or costs across different
questions.

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

No
Policy
Square miles of lakes, rivers, and
streams in policy region
Average Recreation Score

Average Biodiversity Score
Increase in your annual taxes for
5 years

Please select your preferred
option:
EPA Form: 5800-078

With
Policy

105,003 square miles
(100% of US total)
55 out of 100
(No change)
72% of species found
(No change)

105,003 square miles
(100% of US total)
65 out of 100
(7-point improvement)
82% of species found
(10% improvement)

$0

$250 per year for 5 years

[ ] NO Policy

[ ] THIS Policy

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Thinking about how you answered all the voting questions, please rate how much you agree or disagree with
the following statements.
Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Agree

I am certain that I voted the same way I would if given the same
choices in reality.

1

2

3

4

5

I voted as if my household would actually face the costs shown.

1

2

3

4

5

I voted as if the policies would actually achieve the
improvements in water quality shown.

1

2

3

4

5

It is important to improve water quality, no matter how high the
costs.

1

2

3

4

5

I am against any more regulations and government spending.

1

2

3

4

5

I want better water quality, but my household should not have to
pay additional taxes to get it.

1

2

3

4

5

I don’t care much about water recreation or aquatic biodiversity,
but I strongly support improving the environment in general.

1

2

3

4

5

The data collected with this survey will be used to inform policy
that would increase my taxes if implemented.

1

2

3

4

5

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

When choosing whether to vote for the policies or not, how much did each of the following policy features
affect your votes?
No Effect
on my
Vote

Some Effect
on my Vote

Large Effect
on my Vote

Distance of the policy region from your home

1

2

3

4

5

The square miles of lakes, rivers, and streams (or % of
U.S. total) in the policy region

1

2

3

4

5

Improvements in the Recreation Score

1

2

3

4

5

Improvements in the Aquatic Biodiversity Score

1

2

3

4

5

The cost in additional taxes

1

2

3

4

5

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

How much did each of the following considerations affect your votes?

No Effect on
my Vote

Some Effect
on my Vote

Large Effect
on my Vote

The well-being of aquatic wildlife and plants.

1

2

3

4

5

Impacts on the economy and jobs.

1

2

3

4

5

Improving the environment for others.

1

2

3

4

5

Preserving the environment for future generations.

1

2

3

4

5

Trips I may take to visit lakes, rivers, or streams in
the future.

1

2

3

4

5

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

During the PAST 12 MONTHS (52 weeks), did you work 50 or more weeks?
□ Yes
□ No

[if yes] How many weeks DID you work, even for a few hours, including paid vacation,
paid sick leave, and military service?
□ 50 to 52 weeks
□ 48 to 49 weeks
□ 40 to 47 weeks
□ 27 to 39 weeks
□ 14 to 26 weeks
□ 13 weeks or less

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

During the PAST 12 MONTHS, in the WEEKS WORKED, how many hours did you usually
work each week?
Usual hours worked each WEEK: ___________

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

About when did you move into your current house, apartment, or mobile home?
Month: __________
Year: _________

EPA Form: 5800-078

OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW
Expiration Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Do you speak a language other than English at home?
□ Yes
□ No

[if yes ] What is this language? _______________

[if yes] How well do you speak English?
□ Very well
□ Well
□ Not well
□ Not at all
EPA Form: 5800-078