Abstract
Water scarcity is projected to become a significant challenge in the UK as climate change and population growth intensify pressure on freshwater resources. This paper examines household water demand through a social practice lens, exploring patterns of use and the potential for interventions to influence behaviour. Drawing on qualitative data from nine focus groups and six online interviews (n = 61), the research takes a participatory approach, recognising the importance of knowledge co-creation and inviting individuals to reflect on three interventions in relation to their own everyday practices. Findings show that water use is shaped by a complex interplay of habits, cultural norms, and material conditions, which did influence the evaluation of the strategies. However, consistent with dominant behaviour change paradigms, there was still a clear preference for individualised, information-based approaches. Going forwards, we might consider user-focused co-design of interventions to further address the complexities in this area.