Brits still a nation of water wasters

Britain is still a nation of water wasters despite making a conscious effort to save water, new research has revealed.

The Water Saving Report 2016 from water saving authority Waterwise has found that 86% of people don’t know how much water they use each day.

Over two-thirds (77%) said they take actions to try to save water but, when asked, only one-in-10 correctly predicted their average daily consumption (around 150 litres). Over 40% thought their water consumption was less than 100 litres.

Age plays a factor in water saving, with 60% of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they make a conscious effort to save water compared with 76% of over-65s.

The most frequent reason given (51%) for not trying to save water was “I only use what I need”.

For those who try to save water, top actions taken were turning off the tap when brushing teeth and waiting for a full load of washing.

People are also taking more showers, with 63% saying they take a shower instead of a bath to save water. A further 14% said they happily reuse bath water to be more water-efficient.

However, almost three-quarters (73%) said they leave the shower running for an average of 1 minute 41 seconds before getting in, which wastes 60 litres of water.

As well as showers, baths and toilets, other main uses of water usage come from home appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers. The report found that the use of water-efficient washing machines (33%) and toilets (32%) are on the increase and are the main water-savings products owned by the highest proportion of people.

Waterwise managing director Jacob Tompkins said: “Climate change means the UK will see more floods and more droughts in the near future, using water efficiently is a simple way to both adapt to, and mitigate the effects of, climate change and it is something we can all do in our own homes today. The Government needs to focus efforts in this area.”

Home > News > Brits still a nation of water wasters