England launches water-saving drive as people underestimate daily usage

A NEW national campaign launched last month to encourage people across England and Wales to reduce their water use after research found that most people significantly underestimate how much water they consume each day. The Let’s Save Water campaign, which will run for four years, is backed by scientists, regulators and water industry organisations to promote long-term changes in water use rather than focusing only on periods of hot weather. It comes as the country experiences another spell of high temperatures and follows research showing that people believe they use around 30 litres of water a day, compared with the actual average of about 140 litres. Only 11 per cent of those surveyed correctly estimated their daily water use, while 53 per cent believed water shortages were only a short-term issue. Professor Lizzie Kendon of the Met Office said climate change is leading to “wetter winters and drier summers”, making rainfall less dependable as a source of water supply. Ofwat chief executive Chris Walters said improving future water security would require “changing our relationship with water”. The campaign also follows warnings from scientists that England could face a daily water shortfall of five billion litres by 2055 because of climate change and increasing demand. A film released as part of the campaign, Water: A Shared Challenge, presented by Jeff Brazier, highlights the effects of water scarcity on communities, the natural environment and infrastructure across the UK. According to the organisers, the target is to encourage people to view water as a limited resource throughout the year rather than only during periods of hot weather, arguing that changes in daily habits will help protect future supplies.