23% of UK consumers would only reduce their personal water use if it saved them money, finds survey

July 2022 - Utilities

23% of UK consumers would only reduce their personal water use if it saved them money: A survey of consumers has found that just under a quarter (23%) would only reduce their personal water use if it saved them money.

The Water Awareness Summary Report tracks what people in England and Wales know about the water environment, and what they do in their everyday lives to look after it.

The May 2022 survey also found that 57% of respondents feel confident that they would know how to reduce their water use by around 5 litres a day if they were asked to, although a third admitted to not knowing how to do this (9% answered neither agree or disagree).

Three-quarters of respondents said they have heard that they need to use less water due to climate change (76%), whilst 85% said they understand how reducing their personal water use helps the environment.

In addition, looking at their water use habits, 83% said they always turn the tap off when they brush their teeth, compared to 14% who leave the tap running.

Flusing behaviours

When it comes to flushing behaviours, 84% said they only flush human waste down the toilet, while 15% admitted to flushing other items. Wet wipes were flushed by 3% of people, while other items included sanitary products (2%), food waste (2%) and other types of tissue (3%).

Two-thirds of respondents said that they believe that what they flush down the toilet has 'a big effect' on the environment, while 18% answered 'a moderate effect' and 9% 'a small effect'.

When asked how they find out information about what should, and should not be flushed down the toilet 67% said it was down to common sense/general knowledge, whilst a quarter said they get information from social media or social networks (25%). Around one in seven said they get their information from TV (16%) while other answers given included NET: Water company driven information (16%), 'other info from my water company (11%), 'in the news' (7%), 'through my work' (4%) 'word of mouth' (3%) and 'in a newspaper'. Around one in twenty (6%) said they found out about what they flush down the toilet affects the environment after experiencing sewage flooding or seeping into their home or garden.

Rinsing down the sink

The research revealed that 43% put things down the sink such as food waste and chemicals which are not used for cleaning purposes, while 6% still dispose of fats, oils and grease down the sink -- with 14% saying they do not know of any alternaticve ways to dispose of fats and oils.

Other insights included that 78% of respondents are knowledgable about what a fatberg is, while 28% siad that they expect that their water company will come to the rescue and deal with anything they put down the sink or flush down the loo.

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