Last year saw a major increase in consumer use of water efficient appliances, including taps, showers and washing machines, as Britain’s shoppers look to safeguard their spending against rising household bills – that’s according to a report commissioned by Ideal Standard and Waterwise.
The survey undertaken at the end of the year found that there has been an 18% increase in the number of British adults actively taking action when it comes to addressing water saving, up to 88% of respondents this year compared to 70% in 2015.
Actions include utilising water efficient appliances and taking steps to reduce wastage, for example, not leaving the tap running.
The annual water-efficiency tracker survey from bathroom company Ideal Standard and independent water efficiency organisation, Waterwise, looks at the UK’s attitudes and behaviour in all aspects of water management. 37% of those surveyed said that they do not know how much water they use in a single day, suggesting that the UK does not understand where its water consumption comes from.
The results suggest that those with a water meter, who can actively see how much water they are using, are more likely to be water-savvy than those paying a fixed tariff. 82% of those with a water meter who responded to the survey actively take steps to reduce water usage and therefore save money, compared to just 30% of those with a set bill.
Those that did not know how their water charges are calculated were less able to estimate how much water they use each day and were more likely to underestimate this figure.
To compile these results, Ideal Standard and Waterwise surveyed 2016 consumers from across the UK.
Katie Cope, Marketing Director at Ideal Standard, says: “While we all know that saving water is a great way to create a more sustainable environment, it’s clear that it is the personal finance aspect of water saving that really drives UK consumers to consider how to reduce their water usage.
“Almost a fifth more of UK consumers are now actively taking action when it comes to cutting back on water consumption compared to this time last year – an enormous rise in just 12 months.
“This result suggests the need to effectively manage a household budget is tying in well with an increased awareness of the need to take account for how much water we all use on a daily basis.”
To see the report in full, go to: www.waterwise.org.uk/data/Tracker_Survey_/Annual_Tracker_Survey_Report_2016.pdf
