What’s Wrong With Workplace Water?

Nearly Half of Americans Don’t Know Who Regulates Their Drinking Water, Research Suggests, as Employers Rethink Workplace Wellness

DENVER, Colo., JUNE 16, 2026 -- Workplace wellness has become a defining focus for employers across the United States, shaping investment in employee experience, mental health support, workplace design, and sustainability initiatives.

But new research suggests that when it comes to one of the most basic elements of the workday - drinking water - confidence and understanding may lag behind.

According to research from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), nearly half of Americans are unsure who sets limits for pollutants in drinking water, pointing to a broader gap in public understanding of how water is regulated and monitored.

EWG’s Tap Water Database, which compiles federal and state testing data, has also identified hundreds of contaminants detected in U.S. drinking water systems. Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey has found that PFAS compounds – often referred to as “forever chemicals” – are detectable in nearly half of sampled tap water across the country.

While public water systems are regulated and generally meet federal safety standards, the findings highlight growing awareness of emerging contaminants and a broader shift in how consumers and organizations think about water quality, trust, and transparency.

For employers, schools, gyms, and public institutions, that shift is increasingly becoming part of the workplace experience conversation.

“Workplace wellness today is about the full environment people experience during the day, not just formal benefits,” said Rich Razgaitis, CEO and co-founder at FloWater. “Drinking water is one of the most frequent touchpoints employees have with that environment, and expectations around quality and experience are rising.”

Across industries, organizations are expanding their focus on factors such as air quality, ergonomic design, food offerings, and hydration as part of broader employee wellbeing strategies. Industry research from firms including McKinsey, Deloitte, and Gallup has documented rising investment in employee experience and workplace wellbeing programs in recent years.

At the same time, sustainability goals are also influencing workplace infrastructure decisions, with many organizations seeking to reduce reliance on single-use plastics and improve environmental performance.

FloWater, a Denver-based mission-driven company dedicated to providing clean, great-tasting water, has installed thousands of Refill Stations across workplaces, schools, universities, fitness centers and public venues nationwide. Its systems, which harness 7-stage purification to remove up to 99.9% of contaminants from tap water, are used in a range of environments, including corporate offices, wellness-focused fitness operators such as Equinox, and large enterprise campuses such as Google and Amazon, as well as school districts such as California’s Oakland Unified School District.

“People may not actively think about their drinking water every day, but they experience it constantly,” said Razgaitis. “Taste, accessibility, and confidence all shape how people feel about the environments they work and learn in.”

As competition for talent intensifies and employers continue to refine workplace experience strategies, Razgaitis says hydration is emerging as a small but increasingly visible and key part of the broader wellbeing conversation.