Around two-thirds (66%) of adults say they have made a conscious decision to use less water in the past three years (53% in 2015), with saving money given as the top reason, according to new research by the Consumer Council for Water.

The research by the consumer watchdog examined people’s attitudes to using water wisely and tap water. It was carried out during January and February 2016 using a representative sample of 4,169 adults in England and Wales. The online survey builds on the results of CCWater’s initial research report in 2015.

The key findings in 2016 include:

• Around two-thirds (66%) of adults say they have made a conscious decision to use less water in the past three years (53% in 2015). Saving money was the top reason given.
• People who live in the least deprived areas are more likely to say they have made a conscious decision to use less water in order to save money on their water bills.
• The top water saving actions include: turning taps off when brushing teeth, only using a full load in the washing machine/dishwasher, filling the kettle with the amount of water that is required and taking showers instead of baths.
• When searching for information about how to use less water, more people would look on their water company’s website (52%, up from 34% in 2015).
• Only one in five adults has seen/heard something in the past year about pressures or impacts on water resources in the UK (21%, down from 31% in 2015).

On attitudes to tap water, the research suggests that fewer people, around two-thirds (67%), now say they drink tap water at home (down from 78% in 2015). Convenience is the main reason people choose to drink tap water at home. Fewer people are also drinking tap water at work (39%, down from 51% in 2015) or in cafes and restaurants (21%, down from 32%).

The study has also flagged up a significant increase in the number of people drinking still bottled water at home  - up from 8% in 2015 to 14%. For those who choose bottled over tap water in the home, the main reason given is that tap water is perceived to be poor quality or has a poor taste/smell (49%). This was also cited as the top reason in 2015, though at a slightly lower level at 43%. The perception that bottled still water is healthier than tap water has also increased, from 16% in 2015, to 27% in 2016.

One of the report’s main conclusions this year is that consumers are drinking less tap water and drinking more bottled water mostly because they have concerns about tap water quality.

CCWater’s aim in conducting the research was to develop new baselines for customer and consumer behaviour and preferences.

Commenting on the actions customers and consumers take to use water wisely and how they find out information about this topic, the report says water companies, and others, have already made great progress in this area. However, there are still a significant number of consumers (34%) who currently do not make any conscious decisions to save water.

CCWater said the insight into the type of customers who are engaging in water saving, and those who are not, should help to refine messaging and engagement strategies aimed at encouraging people to change their behaviour, and to raise awareness of water related issues more generally.

Click here to download Attitudes to Tap Water and Using Water Wisely Survey 2016