What is a Water Footprint?

A water footprint is a term that expresses the quality and quantity of water processed and consumed. Today, the water footprint for large amounts of water used in the manufacturing of a product/service can be calculated.

In brief, a water footprint is a term that expresses the quality and quantity of water processed and consumed. Today, the water footprint for large amounts of water used in the manufacturing of a product/service can be calculated. Similarly, the water footprint for small amounts of water used by a person in his daily life can also be calculated. While we can measure how many cubic meters of clean water is wasted via the water footprint calculation process, we can also calculate how much the same process would cost if we save water. Moreover, it is possible to categorize according to the type of water and adjust the quality of the water consumed.

Background of the Definition of Water Footprint

In 2002, Arjen Hoekstra, whilst working at the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, created the concept of “water footprint” as a metric to measure the amount of water consumed to produce goods and services for people. The term refers to the amount of water used by almost any sector, including manufacturing baby clothes, the fuel we put in our cars, the clothes we wear, manufacturing of shoes, and the amount of water we consume directly or indirectly as consumers.

What are the Calculation Methods for Water Footprint?

A water footprint can be calculated;

1- For Services / Products, (The amount of water consumed and polluted during production of goods)
2- For Businesses / Organizations, (Measurement of the overall water consumed by a business)
3- Nationwide (Local water resources utilized to produce goods and services in the inhabited geography)
4- On an Individual scale (the amount of water we consume every day).

What are the Components of Water Footprint?

We can discuss the “water footprint” components in three separate categories;

1- Blue Water Footprint: As the name suggests, it is water that has been sourced from surface or groundwater resources. “Blue water footprint” indicates the volume of ground and surface waters consumed for production in industry, technology and agriculture.

2- Green Water Footprint suggests the consumption volume of natural rainwater and what percentage of the water you consume is sourced from rainwater, taking into account the amount of precipitation.

3- Grey Water Footprint is the value that specifies the water pollution generated for the production of a product or service. It can be considered as water pollution generated by an individual or a production during daily activities. Grey water footprint is not just waste-polluted water. Grey water footprint is also defined as the clean water consumed to mitigate the pollution generated.

Questions to Ask Individually or Institutionally

Why would it be good to know about our water footprint? Initially, being aware of our water footprint serves to understand and regulate the purposes for which our limited fresh water resources are consumed and polluted. Moreover, these questions we ask may lead to raising social awareness.

1. What can I do to reduce my individual water footprint, protect the environment, and manage water consumption accurately?
2. Is there a legislation that protects water resources in use?
3. Are our food or energy sources safe or being consumed irresponsibly?
4. Where are the mistakes in water consumption in the operations or supply chain of the company / organization I work for?

Direct or Indirect Water Consumption Measurements

The amount of water consumed directly or indirectly can be determined by “water footprint” measurements. A water footprint can be measured per ton in production, per hectare in agriculture, and in cubic meters for some sectors. Since the water consumed/polluted/wasted throughout the entire production/consumption cycle from the supply chain to the end-user can be measured, it is also possible to achieve saving. It is possible to measure and regulate the amount of water required to produce all goods and services consumed individually, socially, nationwide or by all humanity.

Vital Data and Warnings

The human population is growing exponentially. However, the United Nations warns us that water consumption has doubled the population growth. If this unprecedented trend in water consumption is not reversed, two-thirds of the global population will end up facing the "water stress” by 2025. Tackling water scarcity and water pollution is only possible with a joint "water management-conservation" action to be carried out by all social stakeholders.

Water Footprint Test

The calculation of the water footprint, which is divided into two as indirect and direct, gives us the water consumed in cubic meters. Recently, the individual/family consumptions can be calculated easily via the "Water Footprint Test”. While calculating your individual / domestic water consumption, you should take into account the main data regarding consumption, food and all expenditures. Considering the number of people residing in the house, monthly drinking water consumption, monthly red meat consumption, amount of tea/coffee consumed, pets in your house, how many times you have your vehicle washed in a month, frequency of washing clothes, and even the average water consumption in the city you live in, household water footprint can be determined.

As there is indirect water consumption, i.e., water consumed/used in the production of every product/service you purchase, in various products, several parameters such as cosmetics, clothes, fuel usage, are included in the water footprint calculations.

For businesses and organizations, parameters and calculation methods are more complex. The activities during the production process, as well as various components during the processes of supplying raw material and service procurement are evaluated.

What To Do To Reduce Your Water Footprint

We have a few simple recommendations to help you conserve water in order to decrease your individual-household water footprint;

1. Do not leave the tap running. For example, turn off the water while brushing teeth or shaving.
2. Do not rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
3. Fix the faucets in the house, replace the plumbing.
4. Shorten shower time.
5. Reduce textile and food expenditures.
6. Do not use the prewashing program for laundry. Note that a washing machine uses about 176 liters of water. When you avoid one laundry session a week, you can save 10 tons of water per year.
7. Reduce the number of car washes.
8. Try to reduce the consumption of other resources such as natural gas and electricity.
9. Avoid actions that may cause water pollution, such as using too much detergent and chemicals, etc.

Why Is Water Footprint Important?

Water is the reason why we exist. They say water is life and they are right. Each drop of water we drink is essential for life. According to scientists, a person can survive for a maximum of 7 days without water. Everything we eat, and even each product manufactured, is an output of water and water being processed. In all industries, water is vital in processes such as product manufacturing and waste management. From the sweaters we wear to the parts of the household appliances we use… from agriculture to technology and to industry, water is inevitable. The term 'water footprint' will become more and more important in order to protect our water resources, consume the existing water responsibly and tackle the climate crisis.