Water Awareness Survey

We’ve launched our annual Water Awareness Survey, which 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 study sets a baseline score of 55 out of 100 for public awareness and actions relating to the water environment. As we repeat this survey each year, we will be able to monitor how people’s awareness and the action they take to protect the environment changes.

we’re committed to working with the sector to help people value water and the wastewater services they depend on. Our People and the Environment programme will help people make the connection between their own use of these services and the impact on the environment.

This survey will help us to target our efforts and resources in a way that is most likely to resonate with people and help them reduce their impact on the environment.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 91% of people said they were aware that personal water use, and what is disposed of down toilets or rinsed down the sink, have an effect on the environment.
• 62% of people said they had not done anything to use less water in the last six months.
• 15% of respondents said they had flushed items other than human waste and toilet paper down the loo.
• 14% said they did not know how else to dispose of fats, oils and greases other than down the sink

We want to achieve a measurable reduction in sewer misuse and water consumption by 2030. The challenge for the sector is to go beyond awareness-raising and create a call to action that will resonate strongly with consumers.