Most people underestimate daily water use by half

COLIN GLEESON

More than 50 per cent of people underestimate average daily personal water usage by half, according to a survey commissioned by Irish Water.

The average person uses 129 litres of water a day, as verified by Irish Water’s economic regulator, but the utility said 56 per cent of those surveyed believe the average person uses less than 50 litres of water per day.

Furthermore, a fifth believe they use between 51 and 100 litres; 14 per cent estimate that it’s between 101 and 200 litres; and 10 per cent believe it is over 200 litres.

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The survey was conducted among 1,000 adults by Behaviour & Attitudes between July 11th and July 19th.

The survey also said two out of three people (65 per cent) have begun to make a concerted effort to change their behaviour to conserve water. The results come as Irish Water launches a public information campaign on the importance of conservation.

Irish Water corporate affairs manager Kate Gannon said conserving water was "a new conversation" for many people.

“The recent period of drought has shown that the demand on Ireland’s water supply can impact homes and businesses across the country,” she said.

“It is great to hear about the practical measures that people are taking like the 43 per cent who are recycling water from the sink or the 60 per cent who are either not washing their car or doing it less frequently.

“Our main priority is to safeguard our water for the future and ensure that we do all we can to minimise the risk of widespread outages and interruptions to supply into the future.

“We are doing what we can by ramping up leakage repair, taking operational interventions and supporting and educating customers. However, given the size and scale of the challenge that faces us, it is vital that the public continue to play a role in conservation.”