82% of Brits are keen to save water every day – but are wasting millions of litres by rinsing their dishes before putting them in dishwasher, it has emerged. Researchers who carried out a detailed study found due to rising water bills and the cost-of-living crisis, over half (55%) of Brits are making changes to save water.
One in five admit to leaving the tap running while they’re washing the dishes and two in five (20%) confessing to regularly rinsing their dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. One in 10 (9%) rinse dishes every time they load it and one third (33%) of 18-34s admit to doing this regularly, compared to just 12% of over 55s.
The study was carried out as part of Finish’s partnership with WWF and their ongoing ‘Journey of Water’ campaign, to highlight a new wetland which has been constructed in Norfolk – an area facing a strain on water resource due to pollution and a drier climate. Conor Linstead, Freshwater Specialist at WWF, said: “Making small changes to water use at home can make a difference to the environment.
“Fresh water is a crucial part of the fight for our world, because healthy river, lake and wetland habitats play a critical role in reversing species decline.
“Many rivers in the UK are at risk due to agriculture and sewage pollution and excessive water use, and our partnership with Finish seeks to help protect and restore some of these spaces.
“All parts of society - the government, businesses, and the public - must come together and act now to bring the UK's wild isles back to life."
The Finish study also revealed up to 19L of water per week can be saved by skipping the rinse before loading a dishwasher, and an average of 130L can be saved per week by using a dishwasher over washing by hand. The survey of 2,000 adults revealed more than half (58%) of Brits flush the toilet more than once after using it, and three quarters (77%) often leave the tap running when they brush their teeth – with one in five (19%) doing so every time.
Top tactics Brits are doing to save money on their water bills include:
- Swapping a bath for a shower (62%)
- Using the washing machine less (58%)
- Collecting rainwater to water plants (41%)
- Even skipping showering / bathing altogether (21%).
Results from the survey also show that the average UK adult can save on average £72 a year by making changes at home and cutting back on their water usage at home.
Data by Finish also found that, despite a common misconception, using a dishwasher over washing up by hand can also save on average 130L of water per week, and by skipping the pre-rinse, households can save up to a whopping 19L of water per week. The survey comes as Finish and WWF aim to raise awareness of water scarcity issues impacting the UK with its ‘Journey of Water’ campaign, which intends to raise greater awareness of where fresh water comes from, and the important role it plays in the wider ecosystem. Freshwater habitats, including lakes, rivers and wetlands, are vital for UK nature, as they provide homes for many precious wild species.
To help freshwater habitats, Finish and WWF have supported Norfolk Rivers Trust to construct a new wetland in Norfolk – an area where water resource is under pressure due to pollution and a drier climate. This comes as part of a mission to replenish freshwater in the UK and improve water quality. To help educate school children, Finish and WWF hosted 44 children from Langham Primary School to the newly built wetland in Norfolk showcasing how the new wetland will improve water quality, by creating new ponds.
To tell the tale of how water reaches our home, a book by author Catherine Coe, ‘Water Heroes: The Journey of Water’ can be downloaded here. The story follows three children who embark on an adventure from source to tap – learning about different environments, why freshwater is so precious and how to save water at home along the way.
Cigdem Kurtulus, Marketing Director at Reckitt, said: “It’s great to see many people are already making changes to reduce their water consumption, although together we could all be doing more. There’s often a common misconception to rinse before loading the dishwasher, when in fact skipping the rinse can save up to on average 19 litres of water****and using a dishwasher over washing up by hand can save on average 130L of water per household a week.
“We really want to help educate people on how making small changes at home, can make a big difference and help protect the UK’s precious freshwater environments. We are already seeing the positive difference this is making following the newly constructed wetland.”
To help Brits understand how else they can save water in their homes, Finish have created a quiz which highlights both water saving tips and the impact water scarcity is currently having on our wetlands.
Find out how you can help save water in the UK by heading to: https://www.finish.co.uk/journey-of-water/story/.
