Only 34% express confidence that waste water in their country does not pose a threat to their clean water supply.
Each year since 1993 on March 22nd the United Nations holds World Water Day as a means of focussing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
The theme for World Water Day 2017 is “Why waste water?” and is in support of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 6.3 to improve water quality by reducing, treating and reusing wastewater.
Globally, the vast majority of all the wastewater from our homes, cities, industry and agriculture flows back to nature without being treated or reused and global citizens seem very well aware of the problem. Only 34% say they are confident that waste water does not pose a threat to the clean water supply in their country today and 48% say they are worried that residential and industrial growth in their country over the next 5 to 10 years will put their clean water supply at risk.
The countries that express the most confidence (with more than half of their population confident) in current waste water practices include:
- Hungary 67%
- Germany 60%
- Great Britain 52%
- Sweden 51%
The countries that express the least amount of confidence (with less than one quarter of their population confident) in current waste water practices include:
- Italy 24%
- Russia 22%
- Turkey 22%
- South Korea 21%
- Argentina 20%
- Mexico 19%
- Brazil 17%
- Colombia 17%
- Serbia 12%
When asked if they are worried that industrial and residential growth in their country will put clean water supply at risk within 5 to 10 years almost half (48%) agreed they were. The countries that express the most concern (with more than half of their population concerned) about the impact of industrial and residential growth on clean water include:
- Colombia 69%
- Serbia 68%
- Argentina 64%
- Chile 64%
- Peru 63%
- Mexico 63%
- India 59%
- South Africa 58%
- Hungary 56%
- South Korea 53%
- Spain 51%
The countries that express the least amount of concern (with less than 30% of their population concerned) about the impact of industrial and residential growth on clean water include:
- Germany 29%
- Sweden 29%
- Great Britain 29%
- Japan 16%
Commenting on the findings, Jonathan Glennie, Head of the Sustainable Development Research Centre at Ipsos, said:
“Increasingly Governments and private sector organizations are implementing changes that better align their organizations to help them reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Ensuring proper waste water treatment will help countries achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Ipsos’ latest international study suggests that most global citizens lack confidence in today’s waste water treatment systems and even more are worried about the impact of growth and the risk it poses to clean water supplies in the future. Globally only 2 in 10 say they are confident that industrial and residential growth in their country will not put their clean water at risk in the next 5 to 10 years.”
Notes to editors
- In total 18,070 adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada, and age 16-64 in all other countries, were interviewed between February 17th – March 3rd 2017. The survey was conducted in 24 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America). Approximately 1000+ individuals participated in each country with the exception of Argentina, Belgium, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and Turkey, where each have a sample approximately 500+. The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.
- Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. In countries where internet penetration is approximately 60% or higher the data output generally reflects the overall population. 16 of the 24 countries surveyed generate nationally representative samples in their countries (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and United States). Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Peru, Russia, South Africa and Turkey produce a national sample that is more urban & educated, and with higher incomes than their fellow citizens.
