The challenge 

SSC partnered with the team at Explain Market Research when it was recognised that water efficiency is not a one-size-fits-all message, particularly in communities where cultural and faith practices shape water use in meaningful ways. 

They had a strategic need to understand:

• How best to engage and communicate with customers from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Specifically this was the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities living within the Cambridge Water and South Staff’s Water operating regions.
• Which water-saving devices and activities would have the most meaningful impact in different contexts
• What strategies would embed long-term behavioural change around water efficiency

After working closely with the team to understand the current landscape, we knew that the solution to this sensitive issue had to be deeply respectful, collaborative, and rooted in community. 

Our approach

At Explain, we understand that trust is the foundation of insight, especially in projects which consider faith, tradition, and community practices. 

Working alongside the team at South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water, the team designed a fully community-led qualitative research programme, which included:

• Reconvened focus groups with community members, we worked with trusted community partners and specialist recruitment services to enable recruitment
• Digital ethnography, using mobile technology to collect rich, in-the-moment insight regarding actions, motivations, and values surrounding water use in religious and cultural settings.

We worked with Cambridge Central Mosque and Smethwick Gurdwara throughout this research. Their guidance, combined with our expert facilitation, acted as a gateway into open and respectful dialogue with participants.

Key insights 

Through the synthesis of multiple sources of qualitative evidence, we uncovered:

• The cultural significance of water in daily routines and religious rituals within different religious and cultural settings.
• Community preferences around language, tone, and style of communication regarding water efficiency
• Specific barriers and motivators for adopting water-saving behaviours
• Trusted channels and formats for sustained engagement

This wasn’t just research, the whole project was centred around relationship building, creating mutual understanding between the utility provider and the communities that it serves.

The outcome

The final output was a comprehensive engagement playbook, giving SSC: 

• A detailed framework for reaching and resonating with diverse communities
• Recommendations for tailored water-saving interventions
• Clear, culturally-informed actions to support long-term behaviour change

The WEFDC project has set a new standard for how utilities can listen to, learn from, and engage with communities that are too often left out of the conversation. The full report can be found here: https://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk/media/btgbhmyx/ssc_wefdc_explain_research_final_report_feb_2025.pdf

To find out more about partnering with Explain Market Research, you can speak to the team on info@explainresearch.co.uk or call 0191 261 5261