Lifting the lid: the secrets of our water habits
Our Lifting The Lid research examines the more unusual and often wasteful ways people use water at home. We wanted to know how common these habits were and if people thought they were wasteful.
Key findings
- 29% of people said they run their shower for longer than needed for peace and quiet away from family or housemates.
- 17% of people in England and Wales admitted to running the bathroom tap to cover the sound of them using the toilet.
The most common habits include:
- flushing the toilet twice after a ‘number two’ (90%),
- using the washing machine or dishwasher when not full (67%),
- taking a bath or shower to cool down (66%),
- washing an item of clothing that isn’t dirty (65%),
- staying in the bath so long it needs topping up with warm water (59%), and
- overwatering plants (58%).
Encouragingly, 63% of people think they could be more water efficient, and young adults aged 18 to 34 are particularly aware of the need to save water, despite displaying wasteful habits.
Our People and the Environment work aims to connect people’s water use with the water environment. Our research shows that unusual water habits are more common than people think, and hopes to help consumers and water companies make small changes with big benefits.