Australia’s largest watercare survey

In the most comprehensive water survey ever, Australians are being asked what they would be prepared to do to save water.

It is hoped that the water survey, which is the initiative of Australian financial services company X Inc Finance, will encourage Australians to focus on the issue and make a change of water usage habits a priority new year's resolution for 2007.

Since the launch of the survey on 1 December, findings have included:

• 53% of people say water policies influence how they vote in local government elections;
• 58% of people say water policies influence how they vote in state elections;
• 78% of those who have children talk to them about the importance of saving water;
• 78% have considered installing a rainwater tank;
• 90% said if rainwater tanks were subsidised they would have one installed;
• 83% said they would be prepared to purchase different appliances, fittings or fixtures if they knew they used less water;
• It seems that a majority of Australians are also taking water conservation into their own hands with 57% of people saying they take less time in the shower, 51% have stopped washing their car and 50% turn off the water when brushing their teeth and/or shaving.

So far the greatest responses have been from NSW, Queensland and Victoria with SA, WA and TAS with the least responses.

"This is really more than just a survey in that we're hoping that it will ignite action and drive real change. While most of us are aware of the seriousness of the water shortage and comply with water-saving regulations already in place, I think many people already have ideas about what they would be willing to do to self-regulate and implement further water-saving solutions," X Inc's chief executive officer, Jennifer Nielsen said.

"In this way we're hoping the survey will also be a call to action to start people acting on their ideas and making it a high priority on their list of new year's resolutions."

Participants are able to do the survey anonymously ensuring that the results will give a real picture, warts and all. The information collected will also reveal the weakest links in terms of water use and abuse including unit versus house dwellers, owners versus renters and demographic and geographic trends.