Plugging the hole

Everyone has a role to play in water conservation. The government can do its bit through regulation; manufacturers through product development; the supply chain, including plumbers, by providing well informed advice; and house builders and developers through responsible specification. Concerted action by all these sectors would not only provide better products, informed advice and more water efficient homes, but would also raise awareness across the supply and the demand side of the industry of the need for conservation.

All these initiatives, however, will be to no avail if consumers fail to change their attitudes and reduce their water consumption. This was the topic of a recent conference at the BRE.

At ‘Talking Water – sending the right messages’, leading figures from government, water companies and the construction industry met to discuss ideas on what could be done to persuade consumers to be more careful about the amount of water they use.

The conference was timely, coming at the end of a year of protracted periods of drought and hosepipe bans. It was a year that had also seen the publication of the influential House of Lords’ ‘Water management’ report. This highlighted, among other things, the need for greater consideration of water management issues and, in particular, the importance of communicating effectively to consumers the growing emphasis on water efficiency.

According to the government, a good starting point would be to tackling new homes. Joanne Turner, policy advisor to the Water Supply and Regulation division of DEFRA, explained that regulations help drive forward changes in patterns of behaviour, and tackling new-build homes is the first step. A consultation document ‘Mandating water efficiency in new buildings’ was issued at the beginning of December and will be reviewed in March. Options for new homes include a whole building performance standard (similar to energy efficiency) and a range of per capita consumption targets which can be achieved using products already on the market.

Full regulation for existing homes is considered too difficult to monitor and enforce. Partial regulation through WC and tap standards would be feasible and requirements could be updated for high-water-use fittings such as power showers, hot tubs, spa baths etc. New standards could further influence market trends for water efficient products. The Code for Sustainable Homes has since been launched by the Department for communities and local government (DCLG). It is seen as an important tool in the government’s plan to minimise the environmental damage caused by new development and will ensure that all new homes in England have sustainability designed in from the start.

It is not just the UK government that is looking to introduce legislation to curb water usage. The EU Water Directive requires all member states to ensure that by 2010 water pricing provides adequate incentives to use resources efficiently and to recover the true costs of water services equitably. John Griggs, head of BRE’s Water Centre and a member of the Institute of Plumbing, Heating and Engineering (IPHE), outlined the practicalities and incentives necessary to set up a water trading scheme along the lines of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. It would be essential for households to know how much water they use and how much this costs them. By giving each household an annual allowance, an opportunity for trading between users is created. Un-metered users could become eligible for rebates by installing efficient appliances. Greater and more frequent opportunities for trading would be available to metered customers, providing a clear incentive for households to request a water meter and reduce consumption.

Getting the message across

Griggs said that regulating for water efficiency is about influencing behaviour and building on what has already proved to work. It can take six months to get a message across and then there is a time lag of up to two years between intellectual understanding, emotional acceptance and changes in behaviour. To be fully effective, education and communication must accompany regulation. We need to make available information about the volumes of water used by different consumers and guidance on ways of reducing consumption.

Will Medd, from the Centre for sustainable water management, Lancaster University, explained that average water consumption per capita in the UK is currently calculated at about 150 litres per day (see figure 1). Figures show that the highest users are toilets (34%), kitchen sinks (16%), baths (15%) and washing machines (12%), while outside taps and bathroom basins were each less than 10% of the average house usage. He explained that consumption within metered areas is substantially less than for un-metered areas.

Is the difference in consumption levels of metered and un-metered users due to finances or it is because the consumer is aware of the amount of water they are using? The range of attitudes towards water is wide. Some people may have two baths or showers a day, others may feel that sharing bath water is OK. One consumer might flush the toilet at the least opportunity, while another will only flush periodically. We know that many people accepted changes to their water usage during the water restrictions and changed their habits. Some became resilient and recycled water from showers and sinks to use on their gardens. We know, too, that consumers have begun to think about options for their homes: efficient showers, taps, new low-volume-flush WCs and water saving devices for existing cisterns.

So what do consumers think about water efficiency? There is growing awareness, but according to Andrew Marsh, head of public relations, Consumer Council for Water, there is also a growing cynicism. Most people are willing to save water, but do not want to feel guilty about usage. There is certainly a difference in attitudes between the 1976 stand-pipe users and today’s consumers who have come to expect higher standards. And consumer satisfaction has suffered through the joint effects of drought, leakages and increases in charges, profit levels and investigations.

Willingness to change

A recent survey indicated that over 65% of consumers are willing to try water efficient devices in the home. Out of the total, over 15% already had devices and over 40% would retain them. Over 50% would be willing to retrofit taps or toilet cisterns and over 45% would retrofit showerheads. It concluded that most people would try water efficient devices if they were cheaper and if the water companies improved their own water conservation.

There was evidence that consumers want more readily available information on water efficient appliances and devices, including their suitability and availability. At the moment many products are sold on their aesthetic design rather than their efficiency. All this seems to point to the fact that we need a joined up approach, with better use of regulation, increased metering and a social marketing approach perhaps using schools, TV, radio, local authorities and a Jamie Oliver figure to influence things.

Water suppliers are well aware of the complexities and the importance of communicating effectively with customers. Mike Pocock, head of strategic planning, Three Valleys Water, sees the growth in personal water usage as the main hurdle. He explains that communication is a balancing act in public perception, using creative PR to decrease negative issues, while increasing knowledge and awareness of water conservation. For example, instead of dwelling on leakages, the company now encourages consumers to join in leak spotting. They increasingly use their website for imparting information but most importantly, they have recognised the need to review and refresh the messages they put across whether this is for metering, use of watering cans or hosepipe bans.

Three Valleys Water also undertakes market surveys to establish customer views, attitudes and habits. Results of the 2006 survey showed that while awareness of restrictions was high, consumers felt that insufficient information was provided, either on the details of the restrictions or on conservation activities. Consumers thought that activities such as washing patios, watering public parks and filling private swimming and paddling pools should be included under the hosepipe ban.

It was agreed that generally too little information is being conveyed to the public by too many sources. The public receives messages from the government, water companies, consumer organisations and environmental groups via national and local newspapers, television, radio and websites – but are these understood? Messages need to be coherent, palatable and sustained. Water users have different priorities, responsibilities and finances, so appropriate messages are required for groups of like minded people. What may be normal for one person may be excessive or modest for their neighbour.

One thing is clear: paradigm shifts are required if water consumption is to be reduced. To do this, major influencers should work together to ensure standards for water conservation are achievable for both new and existing properties. n