Consumer confidence in water quality is largely based on perception of aesthetic characteristics
of water at the tap. Undesirable tastes, odors, colors, and other aesthetic traits can decrease
customer satisfaction and may potentially lead consumers to believe that the water is unhealthy. This
paper gives an overview of a tool, the Handbook of Consumer Complaints, that assists utility
staff in quickly assessing an aesthetic water quality problem, identifying the potential source and
health effects, and determining resolution strategies for the specific complaint.
The Handbook was created to identify sources of water quality
complaints, understand associated health-related implications, and develop an effective strategy
for resolving water quality problems. This assessment tool allows the user to recognize the
potential sources of a variety of common water quality complaints. It also identifies potential
health effects, if any, and outlines specific resolution strategies for utilities and/or homeowners
with possible implications of those strategies. This tool can be a helpful, quick reference for
customer service representatives and field operators and can be tailored by utilities to their
system's specific issues. The Handbook is a compilation of information gathered from literature
reviews, case studies, and past project experience. Includes table, figure.