What is a water footprint?
A water footprint measures freshwater use across an entire supply chain, not just what's consumed on-site. A company's water footprint includes water used to grow raw materials, run manufacturing processes, and support every upstream and downstream activity connected to its products.
The three components of a water footprint
- Blue water footprint — consumption of surface and groundwater (rivers, lakes, aquifers)
- Green water footprint — consumption of rainwater stored in soil, mainly relevant to agriculture
- Grey water footprint — the volume of freshwater required to dilute pollutants to meet water quality standards
Why water footprinting matters
Water scarcity is a growing operational and reputational risk, particularly for water-intensive industries like agriculture, textiles, and manufacturing. Measuring a water footprint helps organizations identify where their water risk is concentrated — often in the supply chain rather than their own operations — and target reduction efforts accordingly.
References
- Water footprint — Wikipedia
- Water Footprint Network — Water Footprint Network