Two thirds of people in Aylesbury are not worried about amount of water they use
That is what a survey by Thames Water has found
A survey by Thames Water has found that people in Aylesbury think less about where their water comes from than those in neighbouring places such as Reading, Oxford, High Wycombe and Henley.
Only five per cent of respondents from the Buckinghamshire town said they always think about the source of their water - the lowest of any area surveyed.
But, more than 80 per cent of those in Aylesbury agreed it is important to conserve water, and almost two thirds said protecting the environment was the main reason.
The Thames Water survey also revealed, however, around two thirds admitted they are not worried about the amount of water they use.
The survey results support findings released today (18 October) by water industry consumer champions CCW, which show two in five people living in water stressed areas, including the south-east of England, think water is a plentiful resource.
Head of environmental engagement at Thames Water, Yvette De Garis, said:
"To protect the environment, including precious chalk streams, we have to cut back on the amount of water we take from rivers and aquifers to leave more to help natural ecosystems thrive.
"To make it happen we’re reducing leakage from our pipes and adapting how we manage the water available to us, but we need everyone to do their bit and use less, particularly during hot and dry weather when the rivers, streams and the wildlife they support can be vulnerable.
"By helping them link their water use to the environment, we’re confident more people will commit to making small changes that can make a big difference.
"Simple things like only using a dishwasher or washing machine on a full load and fixing dripping taps and leaky loos can all make a huge difference.
"Popping a bucket in the shower while the water warms up and then using it on the plants is another easy win."
Aylesbury sits within a water supply zone that also includes Slough and Wycombe.
On an average day around 151 million litres, the equivalent to roughly 60 Olympic swimming pools, is pumped to homes and businesses in the zone.
That is four million litres a day more than ten years ago.
The town receives most of its water from treatment sites around 20 miles away in Hambledon and Bourne End, as well as some from Hawridge.
These treatment sites take groundwater from chalk aquifers, which play an important role in keeping rare and precious chalk streams, like the River Chess, healthy to support wildlife including water voles and brown trout.
Thames Water said it has reduced abstraction from the Chiltern’s chalk streams by more than 60 per cent in the last 30 years.
In 2020, the company pledged to go further to protect them including stopping all abstraction from Hawridge on the River Chess by the end of 2024 by investing £40m in infrastructure to bring water in from areas where abstraction does not affect chalk streams.
The project will reduce total abstractions from the Chiltern chalk streams by 80 per cent compared to 1990.
Yvette added:
"When top quality water is available 24/7 it’s easy to take it for granted and not link what we use with where it comes from.
"Aylesbury’s water is pumped in from far away, so residents don’t see a local treatment works and, as the River Thames isn’t a major feature in the town, they don’t see an obvious water source either, so we suspect this is why fewer people think about these things than in places like Henley.
"No matter where you live though, every drop comes from a natural source and the majority is water that would otherwise have found its way into a river or stream.
"Climate change along with population growth means water resources are being seriously stretched and to protect the environment we’re having to reduce what we take from rivers and aquifers so we all have to be more mindful of the water we use than ever before."
Karen Gibbs, senior policy manager at CCW, said:
"Two out of five people who live in the south east of England have told CCW that they think water is plentiful where they live – despite it being a seriously water-stressed region.
"Water companies have a really important role to play in helping customers make the link between the water they use at home and the environment it is taken from.
"All of us need to value water more and just a few small changes in how we use it at home can make a huge difference if we all play our part.
"It’s great to see Thames Water raising awareness of this issue across the communities it serves."
Meanwhile Paul Jennings, from the River Chess Association, said:
"We live in a water stressed region and it is our responsibility to use it wisely.
"Every drop we save means more flows for our rivers that supports a globally rare wildlife habitat.
"We all can play a part, efficiently supplying water and thoughtful use will help provide a sustainable future for the environment."
People can find more water saving tips for their home and garden on the Thames Water website.