In a world of trendy bottled waters and flashy flavored sips, some states are holding steadfast to a timeless classic: good ol’ tap water. From the lively streets of New York to the sunny shores of California, many Americans are bucking the bottled water craze in varying degrees and happily quaffing straight from the faucet.
To identify the states where the most people drink the tap water, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data provided by J.D. Power’s Utilities Intelligence Report, which was based on responses from 36,833 residential water utility customers nationwide, interviewed between June 2022 and March 2023. The report revealed the percentage of residents in 36 states plus the District of Columbia who always, occasionally, or never drink tap water.
Heading the list is Kansas, where approximately 58.7% of the population sips tap water on a daily basis without a second thought. Just a step behind, the state of Washington boasts a similar appreciation for the faucet, with 54.9% of its residents making tap water their go-to hydration source.
People avoid drinking tap water due to concerns about quality, taste, and health. Environmental factors, availability of alternatives, and personal preferences may also play a role. Despite water treatment and safety standards, some people remain hesitant to drink what flows from their faucets. Filtration systems and testing can help address their worries. (Read about the companies that are polluting our water the most.)
Access to clean water is limited in many countries around the world, but even in the U.S., water quality is an issue. Contamination from chemical toxins, heavy metals, and microbial pathogens has affected water supplies from coast to coast – as reports from Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi, among other cities, have proven. (These are the American cities with the most contaminated water.)
37. Arizona
> Always drink tap water: 22.2%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 39.7% – #18 highest
> Never drink tap water: 38.1% – #2 highest
> Population: 7,276,316
36. Nevada
> Always drink tap water: 22.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 37.8% – #23 highest
> Never drink tap water: 39.5% – #1 highest
> Population: 3,143,991
35. Texas
> Always drink tap water: 23.8%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 43.4% – #7 highest
> Never drink tap water: 32.8% – #4 highest
> Population: 29,527,941
34. Florida
> Always drink tap water: 25.5%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 40.2% – #16 highest
> Never drink tap water: 34.3% – #3 highest
> Population: 21,781,128
33. New Jersey
> Always drink tap water: 28.0%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 41.0% – #14 highest
> Never drink tap water: 31.0% – #6 highest
> Population: 9,267,130
32. Georgia
> Always drink tap water: 28.4%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 44.3% – #6 highest
> Never drink tap water: 27.4% – #9 highest
> Population: 10,799,566
31. California
> Always drink tap water: 29.6%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 37.8% – #23 highest
> Never drink tap water: 32.6% – #5 highest
> Population: 39,237,836
30. North Carolina
> Always drink tap water: 30.8%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 41.7% – #11 highest
> Never drink tap water: 27.5% – #8 highest
> Population: 10,551,162
29. Indiana
> Always drink tap water: 31.3%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 42.8% – #8 highest
> Never drink tap water: 25.9% – #14 highest
> Population: 6,805,985
28. Pennsylvania
> Always drink tap water: 31.6%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 41.9% – #10 highest
> Never drink tap water: 26.5% – #13 highest
> Population: 12,964,056
27. Oklahoma
> Always drink tap water: 31.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 41.3% – #13 highest
> Never drink tap water: 27.0% – #11 highest
> Population: 3,986,639
26. Tennessee
> Always drink tap water: 32.4%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 46.9% – #2 highest
> Never drink tap water: 20.7% – #22 highest
> Population: 6,975,218
25. Alabama
> Always drink tap water: 32.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 45.5% – #3 highest
> Never drink tap water: 21.9% – #18 highest
> Population: 5,039,877
24. Maryland
> Always drink tap water: 33.3%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 39.9% – #17 highest
> Never drink tap water: 26.8% – #12 highest
> Population: 6,165,129
23. New Mexico
> Always drink tap water: 34.1%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 38.0% – #21 highest
> Never drink tap water: 27.9% – #7 highest
> Population: 2,115,877
22. Michigan
> Always drink tap water: 34.5%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 44.4% – #5 highest
> Never drink tap water: 21.1% – #21 highest
> Population: 10,050,811
21. Louisiana
> Always drink tap water: 34.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 38.0% – #21 highest
> Never drink tap water: 27.3% – #10 highest
> Population: 4,624,047
20. New York
> Always drink tap water: 35.5%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 44.8% – #4 highest
> Never drink tap water: 19.7% – #24 highest
> Population: 19,835,913
19. District of Columbia
> Always drink tap water: 36.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 42.0% – #9 highest
> Never drink tap water: 21.3% – #20 highest
> Population: 670,050
18. Ohio
> Always drink tap water: 37.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 39.7% – #18 highest
> Never drink tap water: 22.6% – #16 highest
> Population: 11,780,017
17. Illinois
> Always drink tap water: 38.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 41.4% – #12 highest
> Never drink tap water: 19.9% – #23 highest
> Population: 12,671,469
16. Virginia
> Always drink tap water: 40.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 37.5% – #25 highest
> Never drink tap water: 21.8% – #19 highest
> Population: 8,642,274
15. Delaware
> Always drink tap water: 41.1%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 35.6% – #29 highest
> Never drink tap water: 23.4% – #15 highest
> Population: 1,003,384
14. Colorado
> Always drink tap water: 42.4%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 38.3% – #20 highest
> Never drink tap water: 19.3% – #26 highest
> Population: 5,812,069
13. Connecticut
> Always drink tap water: 44.1%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 37.4% – #26 highest
> Never drink tap water: 18.4% – #27 highest
> Population: 3,605,597
12. Rhode Island
> Always drink tap water: 46.3%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 31.6% – #36 highest
> Never drink tap water: 22.1% – #17 highest
> Population: 1,095,610
11. Minnesota
> Always drink tap water: 47.4%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 40.6% – #15 highest
> Never drink tap water: 12.0% – #34 highest
> Population: 5,707,390
10. Missouri
> Always drink tap water: 47.5%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 36.6% – #27 highest
> Never drink tap water: 15.9% – #29 highest
> Population: 6,168,187
9. Massachusetts
> Always drink tap water: 47.6%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 33.0% – #34 highest
> Never drink tap water: 19.4% – #25 highest
> Population: 6,984,723
8. New Hampshire
> Always drink tap water: 47.9%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 52.1% – #1 highest
> Never drink tap water: 0.0% – #37 highest
> Population: 1,388,992
7. Wisconsin
> Always drink tap water: 49.4%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 34.4% – #31 highest
> Never drink tap water: 16.2% – #28 highest
> Population: 5,895,908
6. Nebraska
> Always drink tap water: 51.2%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 35.0% – #30 highest
> Never drink tap water: 13.8% – #30 highest
> Population: 1,963,692
5. Kentucky
> Always drink tap water: 52.2%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 36.1% – #28 highest
> Never drink tap water: 11.7% – #35 highest
> Population: 4,509,394
4. Oregon
> Always drink tap water: 53.8%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 33.2% – #33 highest
> Never drink tap water: 13.0% – #33 highest
> Population: 4,246,155
3. Hawaii
> Always drink tap water: 54.4%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 31.8% – #35 highest
> Never drink tap water: 13.8% – #30 highest
> Population: 1,441,553
2. Washington
> Always drink tap water: 54.9%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 33.4% – #32 highest
> Never drink tap water: 11.7% – #35 highest
> Population: 7,738,692
1. Kansas
> Always drink tap water: 58.7%
> Occasionally drink tap water: 28.0% – #37 highest
> Never drink tap water: 13.3% – #32 highest
> Population: 2,934,582