Results of the questionnaire on water resources

Canary Island, Spain (34 respondents)

What kind of water do you usually drink?

BOTTLED WATER 94%

OTHER 6%

94% of people said that they drink bottled water.

6% of people said that they drink other.

According to use, most people drink bottled water because there are not enough rivers or lakes, and you cannot drink tap water as it does not taste good –-because it is desalinated–- and in some cases it could even be unsafe.

Are you interested in being informed about saving water? NOT AT ALL 9%

YES 65%

MAYBE 26%

65% of people said that they are interested in saving water at home. 26% of people said that they are maybe interested in saving water at home. 9% of people said that they aren’t interested in saving water at home.  

Most people said that they are water-conscious. Water is a responsibility left up to individuals and a large group tries to save as much water as they can, being it a limited resource on the islands, especially in Gran Canaria, as it does not rain much. It is not a never-ending supply.

Do you believe water consumption is a serious environmental

problem?

YES 79%

NO 15%

I DON´T CARE 3% 79% of people said that it is a serious environmental problem. 15% of people said that it is not a serious environmental problem. 3% of people said not to be interested in the problem.

Water consumption is a problem nowadays, and freshwater withdrawals have tripled over the last 50 years. Demand for freshwater is increasing by 64 billion cubit meters a year (1 cubic meter= 1,000 litres). Luckily, many people have come to see this issue not only as a conservation issue, but also as a human right’s topic.

Do you usually leave the water run while brushing your teeth?

NEVER 76%

SOMETIMES 24% 24% of people said that they sometimes leave the water run while brushing their teeth. 76% of people said that they never leave the water run while brushing their teeth.

Some people say that they are not water-conscious, leaving the water running when they brush their teeth. But, on the other hand, some say they do not do that any longer. They see the importance of those easy actions in order to save water.

Do you experience water shortages in your region?

NEVER 32%

RARELY 29%

SOMETIMES 35%

USUALLY 3%

There are water shortages in the Canary Islands for different reasons such as lack of rain or very high temperatures in summer continuing till winter. Water availability is then further limited if the desalination plants do not work properly, although that does not usually happen. But, in general, water shortages are not common these days.

29% of people said that they rarely experience them. 3% of people said that they usually experience them. 32% of people said that they never experience them. 35% of people said that they sometimes experience them.

What kind of water system do you have?

CENTRAL WATER 88%

OTHER 12% 88% of people said that they have a central water system. 12% of people said that they have another non specified water system.

Most people have a central water system --for example if they live in buildings– belonging to a semi-public company called EMALSA or, in the cases of some other isolated houses, there could be wells.

How would you rate the quality of water in your area?

EXCELLENT 9%

GOOD 32%

SATISFACTORY 41%

POOR 18%

9% of people said that the quality of water in their region is excellent. 32% of people said that the quality of water in their region is good. 41% of people said that the quality of water in their region is satisfactory. 18% of people said that the quality of water in their region is poor.    The results show that the majority of people believe

that the water quality in their area is good or are satisfied with it. Only a small part thinks that it is excellent. Those who think that it is poor goes up to 18%. But, despite the results, most of us drink bottled water.

How often do you have a bath or a shower?

MORE 88%

3–4 TIMES A WEEK 9% OTHER 3% 3% of people said that 1-2 times a week they have a bath or a shower. 9% of people said that 3-4 times a week they have a bath or a shower. 88% of people said that they have a bath or shower more often. From the results we can see that most of the

people take a bath or shower 3-4 times a week or more often. A big quantity of water is necessary to perform this task.

What is your family’s attitude towards saving water?

WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT IT 21%

WE TALK ABOUT IT FROM TIME TO TIME 44%

WE DON´T MENTION IT 29%

OTHER 6% 21% people said that they often talk about this topic. 44% people said that they talk about this topic from time to time. 29% people said that they do not discuss about this topic. 6% people said other.

As we can see, the majority of people say that they mention the problem of saving water in their family sometimes. Mainly they use it without worrying about its waste. According to us, it is necessary for people to be informed about saving water and become conscious of it.

Try to estimate your personal monthly water consumption

LESS THAN 1000 LITRES 15%

1000 – 2000 LITRES 68%

2000 – 3000 LITRES 12%

MORE 6% 12 % of people use about 2000-3000 litres of water every month. 68 % of people use about 1000-2000 litres of water every month. 6 % of people use more than 2,000-3,000 litres of water every month. 15 % of people use less than 1,000 litres of water every month.

As we can see, the majority of people use about 1000-2000 litres of water every month. What emerges from our research is that the results are not bad, although they can be improved with people becoming more conscious of its value for the island and for the world.  

That is all Thanks you for your attention!

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission, within the frame of the Lifelong Learning Programme. This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.