【47 Prefectures & Tap Water Awareness Survey】Tottori & Yamanashi Rank 1st for Delicious Tap Water, Okinawa Ranks 1st for Safety Concerns

As temperatures rise and opportunities for hydration increase, "tap water" is indispensable in our daily lives. A survey conducted by BRITA Japan among 100 people in each of Japan's 47 prefectures found significant differences in residents' perceptions of tap water's "taste" and "safety" depending on their region. Water quality standards based on the Water Supply Act were revised, and from April 1, 2026, regular inspections for PFOS and PFOA, a type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), became mandatory for water utility operators. While public management systems are being strengthened, about half of the people feel uneasy about safety, and interest in PFAS has rapidly surged to second place, trailing only "chlorine." It was also found that even among those who feel uneasy, more than half still drink tap water as is. This letter introduces the survey results by prefecture across 47 prefectures, along with BRITA's pitcher water filter that can remove PFAS (PFOS/PFOA). * PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) include PFOS and PFOA. ■ Tap water consumption status and perception of taste ・"Drinking tap water as is" is the most common, followed by "bottled water." ・Regarding the taste of local tap water, Tottori and Yamanashi prefectures rank 1st for "delicious," while Okinawa Prefecture ranks 1st for "not delicious." ■ Awareness of tap water safety ・The national average of people concerned about tap water "safety" is 49.5%, with Okinawa Prefecture at 64% ranking 1st by prefecture. ・Among those concerned about safety, more than half (51.8%) "drink tap water as is despite feeling uneasy." ■ Concerning substances and legal revisions ・The substance of most concern for safety is "chlorine," followed by "PFAS" in 2nd place. ・From April 2026, regular inspections for PFAS (PFOS/PFOA) become mandatory. ■ How to easily get safe and delicious drinking water? BRITA's pitcher water filter, which can also remove PFAS (PFOS/PFOA), offers both "safety" and "deliciousness" anywhere in the country. 【Survey Overview】 Target: 4,700 men and women aged 20-60 nationwide (100 people per prefecture) Survey Organization: In-house survey Method: Internet survey Period: March 30 (Mon) - April 17 (Fri), 2026 * Survey results are rounded to the nearest decimal place as appropriate, so there may be discrepancies when summing up. * When introducing survey results, please include the annotation "Source: BRITA Japan survey." * For calculating national averages, weighted aggregation based on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' population composition ratio was performed. ■ Tap water consumption status and perception of taste When asked what kind of water they drink daily, 39.2% answered "drink tap water as is," which was the most common. "Bottled water" followed in 2nd place (37.6%), but "drink tap water purified with a water purifier" came in 3rd (27.7%), and "drink boiled tap water" in 4th (16.7%), indicating that tap water is largely the basis for drinking. This result suggests that while bottled water is an option for some, tap water forms the core of drinking habits otherwise. When investigating the deliciousness of tap water by prefecture, Tottori and Yamanashi prefectures both ranked 1st at 82% for the highest proportion of people who answered "feel it is delicious." Toyama Prefecture followed in 3rd place at 80%. Regions blessed with natural environments dominate the top ranks, suggesting that the quality of water sources influences the evaluation. On the other hand, Okinawa Prefecture had the highest proportion of people who answered "feel it is not delicious" (32%), followed by Ibaraki Prefecture (27%) and Osaka Prefecture (25%). This clearly shows regional differences in tap water evaluation. ■ Awareness of tap water safety Regarding the safety of tap water in their residential area, 49.5% or about half of respondents answered "concerned," combining "very concerned" (12.8%) and "somewhat concerned" (36.7%). With about half of the population aware of safety, this indicates a high level of interest in tap water. Looking at the proportion of people who answered "concerned" about tap water safety by prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture was 1st (64%), Fukuoka Prefecture 2nd (61%), and Kagoshima Prefecture 3rd (58%). Differences in safety concern levels were observed by region, with the top-ranking regions significantly exceeding the national average (49.5%). These regional differences may also influence tap water usage methods and awareness of countermeasures. On the other hand, when those concerned about tap water safety were asked if they "sometimes drink it as is," 51% combined "often" (19.2%) and "sometimes" (32.6%)