Water Efficient Shower Head Offer – Project Report (2009)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Following continued pressure on water supplies in the UK, water efficiency had become a concern of the government and regulators. Measures to encourage water efficiency have become increasingly important, and both OFWAT and the Environment Agency (EA) have made clear their expectation that efficiency measures should form part of water companies Water Resources Management Plans (WRMP).

One promising device that may have potential to improve water efficiency is aerated showerheads. A study by UU and Liverpool John Moores University suggests that these can reduce the flow rate from mixer and power showers, without impacting the shower experience ( Water and Energy Efficient Showers: Project Report , 2007).

In order to gather more data about the potential of aerated showerheads, a study on the feasibility of a mail order showerhead offer was undertaken by UU. Its main aims were to:

• ·  establish how willing customers were to install free showerheads
• ·  determine customer opinion on aerated showerheads and retention rates
• ·  investigate how much water and carbon aerated showerheads could save
• ·  understand the likely cost of distributing showerheads by post to customers to installthemselves
• ·  establish the feasibility of using postal services as a mechanism for distributing freeshowerheads2002 domestic metered customers from across the northwest were contacted and offered a free aerated showerhead. The aim of the study was to understand the likely take up rate of a free water efficient showerhead offer, and to see how customers found the experience of using an aerated showerhead. In total 155 showerheads were sent to customers, and 118 experience questionnaires were received in return.