At Home With Water (2013)

At Home with Water, a study conducted by the Energy Saving Trust, analysed real-life water use in homes, and developed consumer-led water efficiency solutions. As part of its first phase, this report provides an analysis of self-reported water use information generated online through the Energy Calculator by more than British 86,000 households. The study revealed, among others, that individuals use 142 and households 349 litres of water per day. The average annual metered water bill amounted to £427. Hot water use contributes £228 to the average annual combined energy bill and produces 875 kg of CO2 per household per year.

The Energy Saving Trust investigates, evaluates and advises on domestic energy and water consumption. Last year, we published Powering the Nation, which reviewed the way people use electrical devices, and how much it costs the UK. The research allows government to form new policies to help people change how they think about and use electricity. At Home with Water continues the essential need to rethink our relationship with energy and water.

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At Home with Water will analyse real-life water use in homes, and develop consumer- led water efficiency solutions, through a two-phase approach.

• Phase 1: This report. Direct analysis ofmore than 86,000 households’ self- reported water use information.
• Phase 2: Starts mid-2013. Spendingtime with families in their homes, ‘rethinking’ water savings’ potential, from a householder’s perspective.The findings presented in this report – Phase 1 – are generated from self-reported information, captured from British households through the online Water Energy Calculator. Put simply, people told us what water devices they have and how

they use them. More than 86,000 individual responses contribute to this report and they are evaluated against current knowledge and industry estimates. Appendix A provides a fuller description of the data processing and analytical stages.

The findings of At Home with Water can be used to complement measured water usage information within the water sector.

We now seek to test our findings in Phase 2, by spending time in the home and engaging with households. We will look at real-time water consumption, enabling each household to understand how it uses water. And we will ‘rethink’ the ways in which households and the wider water sector can better engage with water efficiency, to find more practical and effective ways to save water and energy.