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The volume of cold tap water consumed is an essential element in quantitative toxicological and microbial risk assessment. Drinking water consumption studies have been carried out for several purposes: to determine possible relationships between drinking water quality and human health, to determine the fraction that drinking water comprises of the individual’s total liquid consumption or just to calculate the amount of water ingested in relation to other uses of drinking water in households.The present paper discusses the individual drinking water daily consumption and the main variables involved in the public perception of drinking water quality. Research on this topic suggests that perceptions of water quality result from a complex interaction of diverse factors. In many circumstances, the estimation of water quality is mostly influenced by organoleptic properties, in particular flavor. The area of study is represented by 3 large cities: Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures and Zalau, each city having a different drinking water supply system. Realistic exposure estimates of contaminants in drinking water require detailed information on amounts and frequency of drinking water consumption during a day. Data on total daily amounts consumed, number of drinking occasions and the average water consumption per day, type of water drunk at home and at work show larger between-subjects variation. Statistically significant associations were also observed between drinking water consumption patterns and participants’ ages, sex, education and the locality in which these participants live.

Key words: drinking water, water source, questionnaire, water consumption, trihalomethanes.