TWO thirds of people in Worcester prefer the taste of tap water to bottled or cannot tell the difference, a survey has revealed.

Severn Trent Water carried out a taste test in the county this week, asking participants for their views on the service they receive and how they want to see their money being invested.

Of those asked, 64 per cent of people said they preferred the water board’s offering to bottled water.

Tony Ballance, from Severn Trent Water, said: “We asked shoppers to try two different types of water – tap and bottled water – and then tell us which they preferred, before we revealed which one they had picked.

“More than 64 per cent of people said they preferred Severn Trent tap water or couldn’t tell the difference.

“Only a third liked bottled water more, which is great news given that tap water is much cheaper in comparison.

In fact, it costs our customers an average of 92p each day for us to provide all the water they use and take their waste water away – less than the average cost for a litre of bottled water.

“It is important customer’s views remain at the heart of what we’re doing. So whether they believe reducing leakage should be a priority or preventing sewer flooding should be top of the list, or actually none of that matters, as long as they continue to have the lowest bills, then we want to hear from them.”

Customers in Worcester can help shape the plan by visiting stwater.co.uk/ letstalkwater.

  • A hosepipe ban is not on the cards this summer with Severn Trent Water saying the county’s water supplies are “healthy” following a very wet May.

The firm said it was not expecting to impose any restrictions but urged people to remain careful with how they use their water.

Severn Trent recently published its water resources management plan setting out its intentions for the next 25 years.