The Water Paradox: 80% Underestimate Their Consumption and 56% Do Not Consider Water a Limited Resource. Research by Gruppo CAP and Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies

More than 63% of respondents are convinced that others would consider their water consumption “average,” while one in three citizens significantly underestimates their own water use. In fact, while a ten-minute shower typically consumes between 120 and 150 liters of water, 35% of respondents believe they use around ten times less.

The study “Consume Less, Consume Better” was presented today. Promoted by Gruppo CAP in collaboration with Fondazione Cariplo and the Interdisciplinary Center for Sustainability and Climate of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa – Ethics and Global Challenges Area, the research is part of the two-year ETACQUA project (Ethical-Social Analysis and Policy Proposals on Individual Water Consumption Habits for Civil Uses).

The project, whose first-phase results were presented on this occasion, aims to explore in depth the ethical, social, and methodological dimensions of water resource management.

The research involved a representative sample of 1,000 integrated water service customers to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and social norms that shape people’s daily relationship with water, with the goal of encouraging more conscious and sustainable household water consumption.

These findings represent the starting point for a series of policy proposals currently being developed by the project partners as the next phase of the initiative.

Key Survey Findings

• 56.2% of respondents consider water in their area to be a resource that is only slightly limited or not limited at all.
• Only 15.2% believe that household water consumption has a high environmental impact.
• Nearly 80% underestimate the amount of water used during a ten-minute shower.
• 42.2% report that they never drink tap water, despite regularly using it for cooking and personal hygiene.

The Cultural Gap, Environmental Impact, and Self-Assessment Bias

The survey findings reveal a significant disconnect between household behaviors and the climate crisis. Although water-use restrictions due to drought events are becoming increasingly common—particularly during the summer months and especially in Central and Southern Italy—only a minority of users perceive the high ecological impact of their own water consumption (15.2%).

Awareness varies considerably according to educational attainment. While 36% of university graduates clearly recognize the environmental consequences of water consumption, this figure drops to just 11% among respondents with no formal educational qualifications.

The situation is further compounded by a widespread phenomenon of “self-indulgence” or “moral discounting”: 63.6% of respondents are convinced that others would judge their water use as “normal,” reducing the perceived urgency to change their habits.

The Shower Paradox and Generational Differences

The gap between perception and reality reaches its peak in personal hygiene practices. Eighty percent of respondents underestimate the amount of water consumed during a ten-minute shower. For nearly one-third of participants (34.8%), the discrepancy is particularly striking: they estimate using less than 10 liters, while actual consumption ranges between 120 and 150 liters.

Analysis by age group reveals a clear generational divide. The tendency to take short showers is largely confined to older generations, with approximately half of retirees and individuals over 50 reporting that they limit shower time to five minutes or less.

By contrast, respondents under the age of 30 account for the highest proportion of showers lasting longer than 15 minutes. At the same time, this younger demographic appears to be the most receptive to circular water-use innovations: 34% of under-30s are already familiar with domestic wastewater reuse systems, such as “Eco Tanks,” compared with a significantly lower average across the broader population.

The Psychological Barrier to Tap Water Consumption

Another important finding concerns the direct use of tap water. While 94% of respondents use tap water daily for cooking and 97.4% for personal hygiene, 42.2% admit that they never drink it. This points to a largely psychological and cultural barrier, despite the high quality of the water supplied.

The ETACQUA Project and Next Steps: Behavioral Sciences and Three Areas of Intervention

Born from a proposal by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and supported by Gruppo CAP and Fondazione Cariplo, ETACQUA is a two-year research project that forms part of Gruppo CAP’s Sustainability Plan 2033.

The initiative explores the ethical, social, and methodological dimensions of water resource management with the aim of promoting more conscious and sustainable household water consumption. The next phases of the project will draw on insights from behavioral sciences and focus on developing concrete interventions to encourage more sustainable water-use practices.