11.1 Water footprint assessment

Water footprint assessment is a crucial tool for businesses to measure and manage their water use. It helps companies understand their direct and indirect water consumption, identify risks, and develop strategies for sustainable water management.

By analyzing green, blue, and grey water components, businesses can optimize water efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts. This assessment process involves goal-setting, accounting, sustainability evaluation, and response formulation, enabling companies to make informed decisions about water use.

Water Footprint for Sustainability

Concept and Importance

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• Water footprint is a measure of the total volume of freshwater used directly and indirectly to produce a product, service, or by an individual, business, or nation
  • Includes water consumption and pollution throughout the entire supply chain
• Understanding water footprint is crucial for businesses operating in water-stressed regions or industries with high water consumption
  • Helps anticipate and mitigate water-related challenges (scarcity, pollution, regulatory pressures)
  • Contributes to long-term business resilience and environmental sustainability

Components and Assessment

• The three main components of a water footprint are:
  • Green water (rainwater)
  • Blue water (surface and groundwater)
  • Grey water (water required to dilute pollutants to meet water quality standards)
• Water footprint assessment helps businesses:
  • Identify water-related risks
  • Optimize water use efficiency
  • Develop strategies for sustainable water management

Water Footprint Components

Assessment Phases

• Water footprint assessment consists of four main phases:
  • Goal and scope definition
    • Setting clear objectives
    • Defining system boundaries
    • Determining the level of detail required
  • Water footprint accounting
    • Quantifies total water consumption and pollution
    • Considers direct and indirect water use throughout the supply chain
  • Water footprint sustainability assessment
    • Evaluates environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the calculated water footprint
    • Considers factors (water availability, water quality, socio-economic impacts on local communities)
  • Water footprint response formulation
    • Develops strategies and actions to reduce the water footprint
    • Improves water use efficiency
    • Mitigates water-related risks based on the assessment results

Data Collection and Considerations

• Analyzing the water footprint involves collecting data on direct and indirect water consumption and pollution throughout the supply chain
  • Raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal
• The analysis should consider the geographical and temporal distribution of the water footprint
  • Impacts of water use and pollution vary depending on the location and time of occurrence

Analyzing Water Footprint

Product and Process Analysis

• Product water footprint analysis assesses the water consumed and polluted during the entire life cycle of a product
  • From raw material extraction to disposal
  • Expressed as water volume per unit of product (liters per kilogram of cotton)
• Process water footprint analysis focuses on the water consumption and pollution associated with a specific process or operation within an organization
  • Cooling, cleaning, irrigation

Organizational Analysis

• Organizational water footprint analysis aggregates the water footprints of all products, services, and processes within an organization
  • Provides a comprehensive view of its total water impact
• Benchmarking the water footprint against industry standards, best practices, or competitors can provide insights into the relative performance of the assessed entity
  • Identifies opportunities for improvement

Interpreting Water Footprint Results

Identifying Hotspots and Prioritizing Action

• Interpreting water footprint assessment results involves identifying hotspots
  • Areas, processes, or products with the highest water consumption or pollution
  • Prioritizing them for improvement
• The results should be analyzed in the context of local water resources
  • Considers factors (water scarcity, water quality, competing water demands from other users)
  • Assesses the sustainability and risk level of the water footprint

Developing Water Stewardship Strategies

• The assessment results should inform the development of water stewardship strategies
  • Setting water reduction targets
  • Implementing water-efficient technologies (drip irrigation, closed-loop cooling systems)
  • Engaging with suppliers to reduce indirect water footprint
  • Collaborating with stakeholders to address shared water challenges (community water conservation initiatives)
• Communicating water footprint assessment results and water stewardship efforts to stakeholders enhances transparency and demonstrates commitment to sustainable water management
  • Investors, customers, local communities