University of Surrey Report Urges Shift in Behavioral Science to Close England’s Projected 5 Billion Litre Water Gap

University of Surrey researchers find that disrupting automatic bathroom habits like showering is key to closing England's 5 billion litre daily water deficit.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 19, 2026, 6:31 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Surrey

Addressing the Massive Deficit in National Water Reserves

England faces a daunting environmental challenge with a projected daily water shortfall of five billion litres. According to a landmark report from the University of Surrey, released to coincide with World Water Day, traditional infrastructure and smart metering alone will not bridge this gap. While the government’s demand-reduction strategy via smart meters is expected to save 450 million litres by 2050, the Environment Agency estimates that 60 percent of the total deficit must be recovered through aggressive demand management. This necessitates a fundamental transformation in how the average citizen interacts with water within their own home.

The Limitations of Motivation Based Water Conservation

For years, the water sector has focused on increasing consumer motivation through education and usage data. However, Professor Benjamin Gardner, lead author of the report, argues that this approach hits a ceiling when dealing with ingrained habits. Because activities like showering and toilet flushing are often automatic and performed without conscious decision-making, simply telling a person how many litres they consume is unlikely to alter their behavior. The report suggests that many water-use habits persist despite a person's desire to act differently, primarily due to routine, fatigue, and distraction.

Identifying High Priority Behavioral Targets in the Bathroom

In a survey of over 100 professionals across 60 organizations, the water sector identified showering, flushing toilets, and reporting leaks as the three most critical targets for change. In the UK, showering typically consumes between six and 15 litres per minute, while toilet flushing accounts for a staggering one-quarter of all drinking water used in domestic settings. Despite the high priority placed on these areas, researchers noted a significant tension: many professionals placed a low value on actually understanding the psychological drivers behind why people shower or flush in specific ways.