To ensure the sustainable management of water resources, it is necessary to diagnose the current conditions of water consumption and management. A Water Footprint study can be done for different reasons, in different contexts, and for a wide variety of products, services or processes. The scope, assumptions, reporting unit and limitations of a water footprint study will be defined through an iterative process based on the objectives and information available to calculate the water footprint of the product, service or process in question.
The ISO 14046 Water Footprint Standard deals with the reduction and recycling of water use for the production of products and services. Due to the application of this standard in industry, water savings are achieved. The water footprint is both a direct and indirect indicator of freshwater use, and is a multidimensional indicator that shows the volumes and volumes of water consumption for consumption in polluted sources, specifying each geographically and temporally. This concept differs from a classical water extraction measure in that it is not limited to the use of blue water, but includes green and gray water, but also includes indirect but not limited to direct water use.
To carry out a water footprint assessment study, there are several activities that need to be carried out at different stages; These include measuring the water footprint of a process, product, producer or consumer, or a defined geographic area in time and space; determining or assessing the environmental, social and economic sustainability of that water footprint and formulating a response strategy or interpreting the water footprint.
There are several reasons for doing this type of study, so the purpose and scope should be very clear, as this phase will determine how the study will be conducted in terms of possible applications. what type of water footprint will be considered (blue, green, gray and virtual)
Water footprint inventory: At this stage, all necessary data collection and calculations are made to determine the water footprint, which is the purpose of the study, in which the detail and depth are defined according to the scope and level of detail previously defined. Inventory determines people's allocation of water in terms of volume where different types of water footprints occur; Green water refers to human use of evaporative runoff through crops, forest areas, green spaces, among others; blue water for the consumption use of surface water flows, or water extracted from these water bodies and not subsequently returned; Finally, gray water refers to the capacity to absorb pollutants, or the amount of water required to dilute the pollutants to the point where they meet each country's national standards.
Impact Categories: Class representing relevant environmental issues to which the results of the life cycle inventory analysis can be assigned.
Water footprint profile: Compilation of results of impact category indicators that address potential water-related environmental impacts.
Blue water footprint: It refers to the water consumption of surface and/or underground resources within the scope of the study.
Green water footprint: It corresponds to the consumption of rainwater to the extent that it does not become a runoff.
Gray water footprint: Defined as the volume of fresh water required to assimilate a pollutant load to natural concentrations.
Virtual water footprint: Refers to the estimated and derived footprint from both general electricity consumption and office paper and printing consumption in the restricted enterprise.
BENEFITS OF ISO 14046 WATER FOOTPRINT CALCULATION
- It will enable you to take part in existing organizations in the coming years.
- It will increase the competitiveness between organizations.
- It will save water in the medium or long term, which will vary with the amount used.
- It will increase the level of awareness about the water footprint.
- As with the Carbon Footprint, it will ensure that your organization is ahead of its competitors if it becomes a necessity in the coming years.
