Most people just can't swallow the idea of drinking recycled water.
The University of California, Riverside conducted a blind taste test last year and people preferred recycled water to tap water. But attitudes changed when they were told that the water had been recycled.
This year, the research team tried to educate people on the topic, but they weren't able to break through. Nearly all of the 886 participants refused to drink recycled water citing "disgust" and a fear of disease. Many felt, wrongly, that the recycled water just wasn't as clean.
“Disgust is an exceptionally robust motivation that may require stronger intervention to overcome,” says study author Daniel Harmon.
Read more about the study here.
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