- Chinese Are More Concerned with Water Quality and Water Availability for Future Generations than Americans and Singaporeans
- Chinese Hold a More Positive View toward the Concept of Water Reuse than Americans and Singaporeans
- Chinese Believe Large Industries and Utilities Can Do the Most to Increase the Recycling and Reuse of Water
- A Much Higher Percentage of Chinese Surveyed, over Americans and Singaporeans, Prefer to Patronize Companies that Recycle Water, and Chinese Residents Are Willing to Pay a Higher Water Bill to Ensure Water Safety
SHANGHAI, CHINA---June 5, 2013---GE (NYSE: GE) today announced the results from a consumer water reuse survey. Based on 3,000 online interviews, the water reuse survey was conducted by GE in partnership with StrategyOne and examined consumer attitudes in three countries: China, Singapore and the United States. The survey provides a comprehensive view of how residents of each country view water reuse and their willingness to support the protection and recycling of water.
The findings indicate that Chinese residents are the most supportive of water reuse, compared to their counterparts in the United States and Singapore and demonstrated the highest knowledge about water infrastructure issues.
"Population growth, rapid industrialization and accelerated urbanization are driving the need for water reuse," said Heiner Markhoff, president and CEO---water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. "The survey, which we developed to get a better understanding of the awareness water reuse issues, revealed much stronger support for water recycling than we expected. The survey results show that the vast majority of Chinese understand the value of water reuse."
The GE water reuse survey indicates that approximately nine out of 10 Chinese residents are concerned with the water quality and the availability of clean water for future generations. Although large industries, agriculture, corporations, utilities and power companies were seen as most responsible for contributing an "extreme amount" or "quite a bit" to the region's water scarcity, Chinese people feel that it is important for all entities to take initiatives and responsibility to protect water resources. Approximately 90 percent of Chinese survey participants show a favorable attitude toward entities that choose to protect water resources or use recycled water. While the same trend was observed by those responding to the survey in Singapore, Americans did not show as strong a favorable view.
The majority of Chinese people agree that protection of water resources (95 percent) and water scarcity (87 percent) are national issues and only 61 percent and 45 percent view these as local issues. In line with these trends, the Chinese residents expect the national government to take the lead to resolve water scarcity issues and regard the decisions to protect the water resources as top priority for the government.
"China's per capita water resources represent only one quarter of the world average. With rapid urbanization and industrialization, China will face increasing water challenges," said Liping Lin, marketing director, greater China--- water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. "Thus, as mandated in China's 12th Five Year plans, the government is taking multiple, proactive measures to conserve water, recycle water and reduce pollution in order to build a sustainable, water-saving society."
China also ranks the highest, as compared to Singapore and the United States, in understanding the connection between water and energy; as many as 93 percent of the Chinese people surveyed understand that water delivery is dependent on energy and that water is needed to generate energy. Similarly, Chinese residents believe that smart water management can help to more efficiently create and use energy, which will have a positive impact on the cost of the energy.
"GE sees water reuse as a critical solution to help combat water shortages in China and around the world and the technology needed to move toward that reality is available today," said Markhoff. "We can deliver the advanced technology to efficiently treat, recycle and reuse water---such as our ecomagination-qualified ZeeWeed* membrane technology. Each day, GE technology is used to treat more than 2 billion gallons of water. We continue to invest millions of dollars every year in R&D to innovate more cost-effective and energy-efficient technologies to support a sustainable water future. The adoption of technology, combined with forward-thinking government policy and education, will be the key to overcoming barriers to water reuse."
GE Water Reuse Survey - Key Findings
Attitude and usage towards water resources protection:
- Chinese survey participants showed the most positive attitude toward the concept of water reuse and are more knowledgeable towards water infrastructure than Singaporeans and Americans.
- Water resource protection and availability of clean water resources for future generations are two key concerns of the majority of Chinese people (93 percent).
- Chinese residents favor the use of recycled water for various activities that consume significant amounts of non-potable water such as residential and commercial landscaping, toilet flushing, car washing, power generation, industrial processing and manufacturing and agricultural irrigation. No country is in favor of using recycled water for drinking purposes.
- The survey also indicates that up to 74 percent of Chinese participants would immediately pay more on their current water bill to ensure that future generations would be less vulnerable to water shortages.
- All three countries, especially China (88 percent), believe that the water scarcity issue can be combatted by using recycled water.
National government and industries:
- 94 percent and 87 percent of Chinese survey participants believe that the protection of water resources and water scarcity issues are the responsibility of the national government instead of local communities.
- Although largest industries and corporations are seen as the largest contributor to the water scarcity issue, Chinese people feel that it is important that ALL entities take responsibility to protect water resource or use recycled water.
- Chinese residents show particularly strong favorable attitudes towards entities that protect or reuse water resources.
- Up to 83 percent would prefer to purchase a product or services from companies that use recycled water.
Water and energy:
- 93 percent of Chinese survey participants understand that energy is needed to deliver water and that water also is required to generate energy.
- Chinese people also rank the highest (92 percent) in believing that smart water management is able to bring positive impact to the future cost of energy.
In October 2012, GE issued the results of a consumer survey indicating that Americans strongly support reusing water to help the U.S. drive economic competitiveness and protect the environment.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar, biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world's most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water's six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy, Thermal Products and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE's largest industrial business.
Follow GE Power & Water and GE's water business on Twitter @GE_PowerWater and @GE_Water.
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Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
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Beth Coffman
Soteryx Corporation
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