As part of Bostadsbolaget’s mission to reduce climate impact, we launched #waterhack, a water-saving campaign that rolled for 3 months, January – March 2023. The main goal was to involve and encourage our tenants to reduce water usage by 5 percent during the campaign period.

How it all started

For some time now, Bostadsbolaget has reviewed all water installations and carried out water optimisation measures in a large proportion of our properties. We will also introduce individual measurement and billing of hot water by 2030. We regularly urge our tenants to report problems with dripping taps or other things that waste unnecessary water. But we saw a great potential in trying to get our tenants, the main target group of this campaign, to change their water habits and we were curious to see how much could be saved by raising awareness and informing about water consumption.

The purpose and goal of the #waterhack campaign

The purpose was to raise awareness about the fact that water is a natural resource that should be used sustainably. The overall goal of the campaign was to achieve a reduction in water use of 5 percent on average, among the tenants during the campaign period, but also to increase the general understanding of the importance of reducing the use of water in everyday life.

So, what did we do?

We wanted to communicate that with simple means and smart choices, it is possible for every individual to reduce their water use, without giving up any major amenities. In the campaign, we combined information in our own communication channels, with digital campaigns on Facebook and TikTok to reach a wider and younger target group. We kept a cheerful tone and caught attention through humorous elements. The campaign consisted of several parts, but the major part was to encourage tenants to get involved by sharing and competing with their own waterhacks, namely smart tips on how to save water. We also wanted to engage our peers by reaching out through industrial press and personal letters.

Results

• Our tenants saved a lot of water during the campaign period, namely 5,1 percent! It corresponds to approximately 42,000 cubic meters of water (42 million litres)
• Approximately SEK 1.5 million in reduced costs
• 300 entries in the #waterhack competition
• About 15 peers have contacted us regarding the campaign and some of them have already started themselves
• The campaign also received attention in the media and industry magazines with several published articles
• The campaign #waterhack was awarded “Best Climate Initiative 2023” by “Sveriges Allmännytta” the industry organisation with about 300 municipal and private housing companies. Read more.

Find out more

Please visit the campaign website to find out more about this initiative. Members of Eurhonet can also reach out to Bostadsbolaget’s coordinator through the Members Only Zone. If you are not yet a member of Eurhonet, find out about joining us.