Waterwise: Emotional connection key to changing water habits

Waterwise, the NGO championing water efficiency, has said it wants to forge connections between household habits and the wider world to help the public make better choices during this year’s Water Saving Week.

The campaign, now in its fifth year, will explore the reasons why people should use less water and highlight the relationship between household habits and climate change, saving money and protecting the natural world among others.

“Social and behavioural sciences show people need an emotional connection and compelling reasons to change their habits, especially over a long time,” Waterwise’s campaigns and social research manager Kate Marx said. “People are quite in the know these days, there is a lot out there about saving water, but we know from research that people really need a connection with the ‘why’.”

Population growth and climate change mean the need to reduce water consumption is more essential than ever. Utility Week is calling for the sector to join together with a single message of how to lower per capita consumption (PCC) and supports the aims of Waterwise as part of our Mind the Tap series.

As part of its campaigning week in May, Waterwise will focus on its ‘Water Whys’, launching with saving water to reduce carbon footprint. Marx explained: “We want to link as much as possible through the week to the climate emergency and water efficiency because it is so topical and pertinent at the moment.”

Tuesday will explore how saving water can help communities to thrive including population growth and the added pressure this puts on resources to emphasis the need to save now and in the future.

“We want to show people that being a responsible member of their community is going to involve using water wisely,” Marx said.

The third day will look at how saving water can impact wildlife and nature.  “A lot of people don’t realise a lot of water is taken from rivers and lakes to get to our taps so we want to show people that the less water they use, the more there will be left in waterways and wetlands so wildlife can thrive,” Marx said. “There are a lot of wildlife lovers and while many people will make the connection between plastics and the environment, the connection with water scarcity and wildlife is less understood.”

Thursday will focus on saving money, Marx explained: “Not everyone will be convinced by the environmental or climate related message, so we want to communicate to people about finances and offering tips to save money.”

Friday will appeal to people’s sense of national pride with messages and information about the need for plentiful water to keep the countryside – including indigenous plants and animals – thriving.

Marx said because the climate agenda is very much a part of the conversation nationally and internationally now is a great time to make the link between climate and water efficiency. “The way climate change will be felt is predominantly through water,” she said.

The idea of different messages through the week is to give all members of the public one or two compelling reasons to change their habits.

Marx said forging the link in people’s minds between the water in rivers and their taps is essential.

“Outside of the home, water is seen as a resource but within the home it is a product, because people pay for it. The challenge is to get people to see it as a finite resource even when it’s in their homes,” Marx said.

The campaign will include activities for the home and the garden with different tips offered and activities to take part in, even if the country is still in lock down.

Supporters – including, for the first time, the Environment Agency – sponsors and influencers will share the resources across social media to broaden the reach beyond Waterwise’s own audience.

Water Saving Week runs from 11 – 15 May