The French and Their Water: record levels of satisfaction in water service
The 2011 edition of the “The French and Their Water” Barometer has just been published and shows a record level of satisfaction in terms of water service in France, along with a growing need for information and increasing interest in responsible consumption.
The French have never trusted the water services of their local authority as much as they do now. This is what is revealed by the 2011 edition of the “The French and Their Water” Barometer, a survey performed at the request of the Ministry for Sustainable Development, water agencies and the French National Office of Water and Aquatic Environments (ONEMA). Carried out from 19 April to 2 May 2011 by the IFOP Institute with a representative national sample of 1,000 individuals aged over 18, this survey also provides a highly instructive overview of consumer concerns.
87% of French people are satisfied with the water service of their municipality
According to the 2011 edition of the “The French and Their Water” Barometer, 87% of French people say they are satisfied with the water service in their municipality, showing a consistent improvement over 4 years (85% in 2009 and 83% in 2007).
This general satisfaction can also be found with regard to the quality of tap water, as 79% of French people say they are satisfied with the quality of the water in their home, compared with 77% in 2009 and 76% in 2007. They also have confidence in surveillance processes (97% know that water is monitored). This highly positive appraisal is also based on the fact that:
• 8 out of 10 French people say they trust their tap water
• 7 out of 10 French people find their tap water has a good taste.
57% of French people wish to be kept informed about water quality controls
Although overall this report is very positive, there are still some other points that are less clearcut: Despite an improvement in information and the multiplicity of channels of dissemination (media, water professionals, public authorities, the associative network, etc.), the survey shows that some “misconceptions” still persist. For instance, 71% of those questioned are convinced that drinking water exists naturally. In the same vein, 1 in 2 French people think that wastewater is directly re-treated to turn it into drinking water.
The “The French and Their Water” Barometer also shows that consumers have a great need for information, especially concerning topics relating to water quality. 57% wish to receive information about quality controls and 52% about standards.
Lastly, the French are shown to be very sensitive with regard to responsible consumption and conserving the resource. 46% fear that they will lack water in the future, and 49% feel they are willing to pay more for their water in order to conserve the resource. They are also wiling to adopt greener behaviour on a day-to-day basis, such as taking showers rather than baths and being more attentive to leaks. In their view, increased awareness of the quantity of water consumed both makes financial savings (44%, +6 points over the year), and responds to the need to conserve resources in France (28%) and to protect the planet (24%).
Better water governance makes for better water protection
Aware of these concerns, on 21 November 2011, Lyonnaise des Eaux launched the Contract for Water Health, which meets the needs of consumers for information and their desire to conserve the resource. Following on from the New Ideas for Water programme, the Contract for Water Health is intended to provide better governance for water so that it can be better protected. With this in mind, Lyonnaise des Eaux will shortly ask local authorities to make public all the information about water quality via the website “Tout savoir sur l’eau que vous buvez” (“Everything you need to know about the water you drink”).
To learn more:
> Visit the official site of the Water Information Centre
> Visit the official site of the Contract for Water Health
