Tap Water Quality and Habits of Its Use: A Comparative Analysis in Poland and Ukraine

Water, as one of the main media of human existence on earth, is the basis of the functioning of most societies. This article discusses various activities related to water resource management and analyzes the evaluation of selected quality parameters of tap water in Poland and Ukraine. The aim of the manuscript was to compare opinions on tap water quality and habits of its use in Poland and Ukraine, taking into account different seasons of the year as periods of use of supplied water. The hypothesis of the study was that tap water parameters are evaluated differently in Poland and Ukraine at different times of water supply. Due to the complexity of research aspects, a mixed-methods research procedure was used, in which a literature review was combined with a survey and statistical analysis. For the purpose of the survey, the authors' questionnaire "Survey of customers' opinions on selected parameters of tap water supplied in Poland and Ukraine" was created. The results of the research confirmed the hypothesis and allowed for the development a model for the evaluation of parameters of tap water supplied on the territory of Poland and Ukraine and to get to know the expectations of customers of these countries. The presented model provides practical indications that can be used to optimize water supply and meet customers' expectations, including improvement of water quality parameters.