What is a Water Footprint?

Water footprint is one of the basic indicators that measure the amount of water needed to produce the goods and services we consume.

The water footprint examines both direct and indirect water use. It examines the amount of water consumed and the water pollution caused from the first step of the supply chain to the final consumer. A water footprint is similar to the concepts of virtual water or buried water. Virtual water or buried water concepts only refer to the hidden water in the product.

For example, 208 liters of water is consumed for a cup of coffee. However, this amount is only one dimension of water use. The place and time interval in which the water is used and the type of water used are also extremely important.

A multidimensional indicator, the water footprint also shows the type of water used (green, blue, gray), when and where it was used. The water footprint helps us understand the purposes for which limited freshwater resources are consumed and how they are polluted. The water footprint is classified as follows: Green water footprint: It refers to the amount of rainwater consumed in production processes. The concept, which is particularly relevant to agricultural production, horticultural and forest products, covers all of the evaporated rain water and the water stored in the harvested product or cut wood.

Blue water footprint: It refers to the amount of underground and surface water resources consumed in the production of a good or service. Its main sources are irrigated agriculture, industrial and domestic water use.

Gray water footprint: It is the amount of fresh water used to eliminate or reduce the pollution load in order to meet the current water quality standards. In calculating the gray water footprint, both point and dispersed pollution are taken into account. It is possible to calculate the water footprint on an individual, process, product, sector, city, watershed, country or global scale. With the national water footprint, the amount of fresh water required for all goods and services consumed in a country can be calculated. By comparing this footprint with the amount of fresh water required for the goods and services produced in the country, it is determined whether the country is a virtual water importer or exporter.

• 1kg. Red meat for 15,414liter
• 1kg. Chicken for 4,325liter
• 1kg. Milk for 1,020liter
• 1kg. Cheese for 3,178liter
• 1kg. Rice 2,497 liters of water is needed for this (www.waterfootprint.org).