Water footprint – Improving business water use, step by step

Abstract

These days it is not uncommon for people to know exactly how much water it takes to produce a glass of red wine (about 120 ℓ), a kilogram of rice (2 500 ℓ) or even an average-sized pizza (1 260 ℓ). The so-called water footprint concept, first introduced in the Netherlands in 2002, is now used internationally to create awareness around the water consumption and pollution of consumer products, within catchments and even countries. Like similar tools which raise awareness around water use efficiency, the water footprint is becoming increasingly important, especially for South African corporations as they find themselves having to share a scarce resource with the socio-economic needs of a growing population as well as having to meet ecological requirements. But what is the water footprint and how does it work? According to a new Water Research Commission (WRC) report on the applicability of water footprints in South Africa, a water footprint is an indicator of freshwater use that considers the direct and indirect water required to produce a project, measured over the full supply chain.

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