Pandemic highlights the value of water

A third of people in the North East say the focus on hygiene during the pandemic has increased the value they place on water, according to a charity.

A survey by WaterAid also found three out of four people say they appreciate having clean water at home – and just over (53%) say they take steps to reduce the amount of water they use.

However, 17% of people in the region admit to leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth – which could waste up to nine million litres of water every day – that’s enough to fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The international charity released the figures to mark World Water Day. Over half of adults in the North East ensure their appliances like dishwashers and washing machines are water-efficient and 35% collect rainwater to use in their garden but 22% say they do not think about the amount of water they use.

Louise Hunter, chair of the Northumbrian WaterAid Committee said: “Sometimes it can be easy for us to take clean water for granted when we have it on tap, but the challenges of the past year have helped us to realise its importance.

Tim Wainwright, WaterAid’s chief executive, said: “Frequent handwashing reduces the spread of coronaviruses by around a third, yet one in 10 people globally have had to face the pandemic without clean water close to home. We’re grateful to the UK water industry for keeping the water flowing for us here, whilst continuing to support our work around the world.”

For more information, go to www.wateraid.org