While a majority of Koreans are content with tap water here, less than half of the population actually drinks it, a survey showed Monday.

The Tap Water Public Relations Association and Citizen’s Network for Tap Water released the results of a joint survey. 

According to the survey of 12,196 adults, 92.6 percent of respondents said they are content with tap water, but only 49.4 percent actually drink it on a regular basis.

Those who use water purifiers or mineral water bottles said the reason for opting out of tap water is down to safety.

An official from Korea Water and Wastewater Works Association, which funded the survey, said, “Tap water is a human right for the people to maintain a healthy and safe life. With the survey, we will work on improving the quality of tap water.”

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@hearldcorp.com)