ENGLAND — A publicity drive called Let's Save Water will launch this week with a budget of £75m funded by water companies in England over four years. The campaign aims to reduce daily water use per person by 28 litres from the current average of about 140 litres.

The initiative involves water companies, Ofwat, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, and Natural Resources Wales, with a team of behavioural psychologists advising the effort. Research for the campaign indicates that people estimate their daily water use at about 30 litres, compared to actual usage of about 140 litres.

Water shortages in England and Wales are predicted to reach 5bn litres a day by 2055. The predicted water shortfall is attributed to climate change, population increases, and the expansion of water-intensive industries such as datacentres.

Thomas Webb, a social psychologist at the University of Sheffield, commented on public perception. "The critical issue is, how do we make people believe water is an important resource?" Webb said. "So we need to change assumptions. We need to make people aware of how much water they are using and help them see this as a collective effort, and something they can be proud of."

Leaks by water companies amount to 19% of water demand, with more than 3bn litres of drinking water lost through leaking pipes each day. No new reservoirs have been built in England by water companies for 30 years. The water industry has pledged to build 10 new reservoirs as part of a £104bn investment over the next five years. Showers use 10 litres of water a minute, and replacing a shower head with a water-saving model can reduce water use by up to 50%.

James Wallace, chief executive of River Action, welcomed the campaign's goal. "We welcome any initiative that encourages people to conserve water," Wallace said. "Every litre saved helps reduce pressure on our rivers, the lifeblood of our nation." However, Wallace added, "We need a fully funded national emergency plan that holds polluters and water companies accountable."

Shas Sheehan, chair of the House of Lords environment and climate change committee, expressed concerns about public trust. "That strategy must be transparent, consistent and demonstrate that water companies are taking visible steps to put their own house in order," Sheehan said. "At present, there is a clear risk that messages on reducing water use will not land as intended, given the erosion of public trust in water companies."