A joint organisation

of UNEP & SETAC

Water Footprint
training material

Activity supported by the European Commission through the ENRTP funded

project on ‘Increasing Resource Efficiency in International Supply Chains’
 Purpose, content and context

• This material provides an overview of the basic concepts and the different
types of water footprint metrics, which aims to assess potential
environmental impacts related to water consumption and degradation
• As this is an area under rapid development, this material considers past
and current methods, developing standards, and focuses on a life cycle
based approach.
• As there is no unique water footprint method, an overview of the different
methods is given and examples are provided for several of them.
• Following slides only allowed for educational not commercial purposes

2 Water Footprint Training Material

 Water footprint &
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Water footprint is agreed to be a life-cycle based
assessment (UNEP 2012)
• Advanced water footprint assessment is also
largely based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
methodology and utilizes state-of-the-art
techniques to address impacts
• For further details and background on LCA check
the UNEP-SETAC training kit on LCA (Heijungs et
al. 2008):
http://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/resources/training/l
ca-life-cycle-assessment-training-kit-material/
3 Water Footprint Training Materials
 Outline

1. Introduction
1. What is a water footprint and why (benefit) use it?
2. Water Resources & Use

2. Basic concepts
1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
2. Water and LCA
3. Water Footprint, principles, requirements and guidelines
4. Types of water footprint metrics and assessment

3. Examples of application
1. Water footprint inventory
2. Water footprint profile at midpoint
3. Water footprint profile at endpoint

4 Water Footprint Training Material

 1.1 What is a water footprint
and why use it?

What are you interested in?

What are your objectives?

5 Water Footprint Training Material

 1.1 Why use a water footprint

By 2025, 1.9 billion people will be living in

countries or regions with absolute water scarcity,
and two-thirds of the world population could be
under stress conditions
(FAO Hot issues: Water scarcity, www.Fao.org )
Climate change could profoundly alter future
patterns of both water availability and use,
thereby increasing levels of water stress and
insecurity, both at the global scale and in sectors
that depend on water
(The World Bank, 2009 "Water and Climate Change: Understanding
the Risks and Making Climate-Smart Investment Decisions“)
6 Water Footprint Training Material
 1.1 Why use a water footprint

7 Water Footprint Training Material

Signs of global water scarcity
1.1 Why a water footprint

Cotton for export

Former Aral Sea, Central Asia

8 Water Footprint training material Source WFN, 2012
 The water footprint:
making a link between consumption in one place and
impacts on water systems elsewhere

Endangered Indus River Dolphin

9 WWF]
[Photo: Water Footprinting Training Material Source WFN, 2012
 Signs of global water pollution

10 Source WFN, 2012

Water Footprinting Training Material Hungary, October, 2010
 Signs of global water pollution

11 Water Footprinting Training Material Source WFN, 2012

The human right to water and sanitation

• UN assembly acknowledged this explicitly in

2010:
• 64/292. The human right to water and sanitation

Source: UN: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/64/292

12 Water Footprint Training Material
Motivation for assessing a Water Footprint

• Water scarcity is one of the most important

environmental problems
• Increasing population is aggravating water
problems
• Sustainability has become a key marketing factor
• Public pressure and operational risk make it
relevant for business to assess the following risks
(beyond “green pioneers”):
• Physical
• Regulatory
• Reputational
• Financial risk to business

13 Water Footprint Training Material

 1.2 Water Resources
– A Water Problem?

With contribution by Naji Tannous

14 Water Footprint Training Material

 A Water Problem?
Water Natural Cycle

Adapted from Source:

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
15 Water Footprint Training Material
URL: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
 A Water Problem?
Estimated Hydrosphere Volumes

• Water storage in the atmosphere = water vapour

• Water storage in oceans = saline water
• Fresh water = lakes, rivers, groundwater, snow, ice,
water in living things (animals, plants), soil
moisture
• Solid fresh water = ice, snow

BUT WHAT ARE THE RELATIVE QUANTITIES?

16 Water Footprint Training Material
 A Water Problem?
Estimated Hydrosphere Volumes
All water resources
1,400 million km3

Water Vapor Saline Water Fresh Water

2.5%
0.013 million km3 1,365 million km3 35 million km3

Liquid Solid
0.7%
11 million km3 24 million km3

Ground & Surface water Living matter & soil moisture

Lakes: 0.09 million km³

Soil moisture: 0.016million km³
Rivers: 0.002 million km³
Living matter: 0.001 million km³
Groundwater : 10.5 million km³

17 Water Footprint Training Material Source: Shiklomanov and Rodda (2003) ISBN: 0 521 82085 5
 Freshwater: How much is there?
Precipitation on land:
119’000 km3 / year (100%)

Evaporation and
transpiration (62%) Runoff (38%)

Human water use (3%) 2.1% 0.3% 0.6%

18
Water Footprint Training Material
 A Water Problem?

The Good News

GLOBALLY HUMANITY HAS

NO WATER PROBLEM (yet)

The Bad News

WATER IS NOT EQUALLY
DISTRIBUTED IN TIME AND
SPACE

19 Water Footprint Training Material

 Water quantity issues

Source: Boulay et al, 2013

Water quality issues

20
 A Water Problem?
REGIONALISATION MATTERS

• From a global perspective, there is no water

scarcity

• Different impacts – different regions/archetypes:

• Ecosystems
• Humans
• Stock/fund resources

• Relatively new topic

• Water consumption mainly relevant in agriculture –
regional aspect crucial

21 Water Footprint Training Material

 A Water Problem?
Climate Change & Future Predictions

Looking ahead

22 Water Footprint Training Material

 A Water Problem?
Water resource demand vs replenishment, Projections to 2030

2%
12%
3% 17% 53% 20%
65%

2013

23 Water Footprint Training Material Source: FAO, Kiersh and Romàn, Lima, 2013
 A Water Problem?
Climate Change & Future Predictions

• Different model predictions for IPCC’s A1B scenario (different model runs)

Globally
increased
precipitation

24 Water Footprint Training Material Source: IPCC 2007

 A Water Problem?
Climate Change & Future Predictions

But change in spatial distribution of precipitations by 2100

RCP2.6 RCP8.5

Less precipitation in many arid regions

25 Water Footprint Training Material
Source: IPCC 2013
KEY POINTS
In terms of volume, there is sufficient water to supply
human needs, but:
• The supply chain of water intensive products are
complex and are often distributed around the
globe
• Water is unequally spread in time and space
• Population is not always in the most water
abundant regions
• Ecosystems need sufficient water to be maintained
• Water demand is increasing, water availability is
not
26 Water Footprint Training Material
2. BASIC CONCEPTS

27 Water Footprint Training Material

 2.1 Life Cycle Assessment

28 Water Footprint Training Material

 Life cycle assessment
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) - COMPILATION AND
EVALUATION OF THE INPUTS, OUTPUTS AND THE
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF A
PRODUCT SYSTEM THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE CYCLE.

29 Water Footprint Training Material

 Car comparison

• Diesel
• Biodiesel 5% (soy)
• Gasoline
• Ethanol 5%
• Natural gas
• Electricity

Which is the best? The worst?

30 Water Footprint Training Material © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 The life cycle of a car
Resource acquisition Manufacturing Distribution Use End-of-life

Fuel

Glass

Steel

Assembly
Aluminium

Extraction and
Polymers Distribution Use Disposal
transformation

Composites
System
boundaries Rubber

Electronic
components

Function of the car = moving people

31 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Life Cycle approach: a global view

Image: www.linkcycle.com

32 Water Footprint Training Material

 Life Cycle approach: a global view

Image: www.linkcycle.com

33 Water Footprint Training Material

 Mid-point/problem – end point/damage to
areas of protection
Problems
conventional framework
Respiratory effects Areas of
Photochem. oxidation protection
Pesticide
SO2 Ozone layer depletion Human Health
Cu
Ionizing radiation
CO2
Phosphate Toxic Impacts
… Global warming Ecosystem
Quality
Water availability

Irrigation Acidification
Water
Eutrophication
Crude Oil Resources
Iron Ore Land use
…
Biotic resource use

Abiotic resource use

34 Source: Jolliet 2004, Life Cycle Initiative
Water Footprint Training Material
 Mid-point/problem – end point/damage to
areas of protection conventional framework

Methodological tool, decision making

Quantifies potential environmental impacts

Entire life cycle of a product

ISO standards 14 040/44

35 Source: Jolliet 2004, Life Cycle Initiative

Water Footprint Training Material
 Life cycle inventory

Elementary flows
Inputs:
Iron ore
Crude oil
Water Inventory may count hundreds of
Wood different elementary flows
Solar energy
Land use
…
Very hard to interpret
Outputs : Brain can simultaneously consider
CO2
SO2 only up to 7 independent parameters
PM
VOC
PO4
NO3
Pesticides
Metals
…
36 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Problem = comparing pollutants

Comparing is not straightforward

like comparing apples and oranges
When considering the amounts emitted and the very
different nature of the extractions and emissions included
in inventory
more like comparing an elephant and an apple!

?
≠
37 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Life cycle assessment

Assessment can occur at 2 points:

1. Mid point = problems/environmental issues which
the analysis should address, includes indicators
which are part way along the impact pathway,
such as global warming, acidification, land use,
resource use
2. End point = areas of protection (AoP), such as
human health, ecosystem quality and natural
resources

38 Water Footprint Training Material

 Life Cycle Thinking Creates Opportunities

high Time Spent

Upstream Downstream
Opportunities: Opportunities:
Building up better Customer satisfaction
alliances, access to and loyalty, improved
limited resources, brand image, etc.
stability of supply, etc.

low Opportunities
Production/
Transport Manufacturing Sale• Use Disposal
Extraction

Value Chain •Source: Adapted from WWF-UK 2003

Source: Jim Fava presentation, 8th April 2013,

39 Water Footprint Training Material UNEP/SETAC LCInit workshop, Paris
 The ISO framework

Framework (ISO-14040)

1) Goal & scope definition

(ISO-14044)
2) Life cycle inventory (LCI) 4) Interpretation
(ISO-14044) (ISO- 14044)
3) Life cycle impact
assessment (LCIA)
(ISO-14044)
Applications

40 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Decision making and
interpretation

41 Water Footprint Training Material

 Comparison of alternatives

42 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Food packaging: Angel or Demon?

VS

43 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
Individual packaging: Angel or Demon?

VS

44 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Electric car: Better or Worst?

Zero emissions? Emissions

elsewhere!

45 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Where to put the efforts?

46 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Innovations stemming from life cycle
thinking

Inverted bottle to stop

Cold water
wasting the last 5% of
detergents
the product

47 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Environmental labelling

Type III
Type I Type II
(ISO 14025)
(ISO 14024) (ISO 14021)
Environmental
Ecolabels Self-declared claims
product declaration
• Life Cycle thinking • Established by the • Life Cycle Assessment
based manufacturer based
• Points to best • Usually based on a single • Analogy: Nutritional facts
alternative in a product environmental criteria
• Third party verified
category • No verification
• Registered trademark
• Threshold criteria • No threshold criteria
• Third party verified • Example: “recycled
content, biodegradable”

48 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Environmental labeling

49
49 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 International EPD®System

Source: http://www.environdec.com/

50 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
Steelcase Steelcase EPD

Source:
http://www.steelcase.com/en/pro
ducts/category/seating/task/think
/pages/environmental.aspx

51 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Apple

http://www.apple.com/environment/
52 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Pharmaceutical company
4

Sales rep. travels

kg CO2 eq./kg product

3
Business travels
Product distribution
2 Employee commuting
Raw materials supply

1 Electricity
Heat

0 Manufacturing

infrastructure
Packaging
Transport
materials
R&D

disposal
Energy

Waste
Raw

53 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Pharmaceutical company
100% R&D

90% Sales rep. travels

80% Product distribution

70%
Raw materials supply

Business travels
60%

Identify win-win opportunitiesWaste disposal

50%
Employee commuting

40%
Infrastructure
30%
Packaging
20% Heat
10% Raw materials

0% Electricity
Primary energy GHG Costs

54 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Pharmaceutical company
100% R&D

90% Sales rep. travels

80% Product distribution

70%
Raw materials supply

Business travels
60%
Employee commuting
50%
Waste disposal
40%
Investing in the right place Infrastructure
30%
Packaging
20% Heat
10% Raw materials

0% Electricity
Primary energy GHG Costs

55 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Pharmaceutical company
GHG
100% R&D

90% Sales rep. travels

80% Product distribution

70% Raw materials supply

Business travels
60%
Track progress Employee commuting
50%

Waste disposal
40%

Infrastructure
30%
Packaging
20%
Heat
10%
Raw materials
0%
Electricity
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

56 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical company company
2011: Introduction of a carbon tax on vehicles
GHG
100% R&D

90%
costs Sales rep. travels

80% Product distribution

70% Raw materials supply

Business travels
60%
Understand potential risks Employee commuting
50%

Waste disposal
40%

Infrastructure
30%
Packaging
20%
Heat
10%
Raw materials
0%
Electricity
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

57 Water Footprint Training Material Source: © CIRAIG 2013, used with permission
 LCA vs Water Footprint

A water footprint is an LCA which

includes only the water-related
impacts

• Same use, interpretation and opportunities with a

specific water-related scope
• Since it does not include all impacts, it cannot serve to
claim product superiority
• Different types of water footprint exists, based on which
“water-related impacts” are considered. They have
different labels.

58 Water Footprint Training Material

KEY POINTS
• LCA allows the comparison of environmental
performance of products over the entire life
cycle
• It is based on the inventory of resources and
emissions, translated into environmental
impacts and damages on (3) areas of
protection, which serve as indicators for
decision making
• A water footprint is an LCA which only includes
water-related impacts
59 Water Footprint Training Material
2.4. TYPES OF WATER FOOTPRINT
METRICS AND ASSESSMENTS

60 Water Footprint Training Material

 What is a water footprint?
ISO definitions
Water footprint - metrics that quantify the potential
environmental impacts related to water
Water footprint inventory analysis - phase of water
footprint assessment involving compilation and
quantification of inputs and outputs related to water for
products, processes or organizations as defined in the
goal and scope
Water footprint impact assessment - phase of a water
footprint assessment, following the water footprint
inventory analysis , aimed at understanding and
evaluating the magnitude and significance of the
potential environmental impact(s) related to water of a
product, process or organization
61 Water Footprint Training Material
Water Footprint Network (WFN)
A Volumetric Approach
(also called virtual water
content):

- Blue water
(river, lakes groundwater)

- Green water
(rainwater use by plants)

- Grey water
(also called critical dilution
volume CDV)

62
 6,700
km²

Note: these values represent different water volumes (inventory) summed together before local impacts are
taken into account into the assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and awareness raising
63 Water Footprint Training Material Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
 6,700
km²

Note: these values represent different water volumes (inventory) summed together before local impacts are
taken into account into the assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and awareness raising
64 Water
64Source: Water Footprint training material
Training Material
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
Footprint Network Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
 6,700
km²

Note: these values represent different water volumes (inventory) summed together before local impacts are
taken into account into the assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and awareness raising
65 65 Water Water Footprint training material
Training Material
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
Source: Footprint Network Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
 6,700
km²

Note: these values represent different water volumes (inventory) summed together before local impacts are
taken into account into the assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and awareness raising
66 66 Water Footprint
Water Footprint training material
Training Material
[Hoekstra
Source:&Hoekstra
Chapagain, 2008]
Source: Network & Chapagain, 2008
 6,700
km²

Note: these values represent different water volumes (inventory) summed together before local impacts are
taken into account into the assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and awareness raising
67 67 Water Water Footprint training material
Training Material
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
Source: Footprint Network Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
 6,700
km²
Note: these values represent different water
volumes (inventory) summed together before local
impacts are taken into account into the
assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and
awareness raising
68 68 Water Footprint
Water Footprint training material
Training Material
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
Source: Network Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
 The water footprint inventory of
a cow

Food
► 1,300 kg of grains
(wheat, oats, barley, corn,
dry peas, soybean, etc)
► 7,200 kg of roughages 99%
(pasture, dry hay, silage, etc)

Water 1%
► 24,000 litres for drinking 6,700
► 7,000 litres for servicing. km²
Note: these values represent different
water volumes (inventory) summed
together before local impacts are taken
into account into the assessment,
shown for illustrative purposes and
awareness raising
69 Water Footprint training
Trainingmaterial
Material Source: [Hoekstra
Hoekstra &&Chapagain,
Chapagain,2008
2008]
 6,700
km²

Note: these values represent different water volumes (inventory) summed together before local impacts are
taken into account into the assessment, shown for illustrative purposes and awareness raising
70 70 Water Water Footprint training material
Training Material
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
Source: Footprint Network Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
 Water Footprint
Network vs LCA
WFN framework LCA framework Generic framework
steps

Phase 1 Setting goals and Goal and scope

scope definition Setting the goal and scope

Quantiative indicators (blue,

Phase 2 Water footprint Accounting phase
green and grey water Inventory analysis
accounting
footprint)

Water footprint
Phase 3 Quantiative indicators Impact
sustainability (environmental impacts) Impact assessment phase
assessment
assessment

Water footprint
Phase 4 response Interpretation Interpretation and solutions
formulation

71 Water Footprint Training Material Source: Boulay, Vionnet et Hoekstra, 2013

 Water Footprint
Impact Assessment Metrics
• Scarcity Indicators – ex: Pfister et al., Boulay et al
(simplified version)
• Stress Indicator – ex: Boulay et al., Veolia method
• Quality indicators: Eutrophication, ecotoxicity,
acidification, etc.
• Endpoint Modeling: Human health, Ecosystems and
Resources

Scarcity
assessment Availability Scarcity End point
OR assessment assessment + modeling
Quality (scarcity + quality (quantity and
Indicators quality) indicators quality impacts)

INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL RELEVANCE AND SOPHISTICATION

72 Water Footprint Training Material
 What is scarcity?
Evolution of scarcity indicators modeled in LCA
withdrawals consumption demand availability demand
availability availability availability

AWaRe
WTA CTA DTA
(Available Water Remaining)
WTA: Withdrawal-to-availability
CTA: Consumption-to-availability
DTA: Demand-to-availability (includes humans and ecosystems demand)

WULCA
2006 2011 2013 2014 2015 Recommendation

73
 Types of Water Footprints

LCA Water Water

Availability Water
Other Footprint Footprint Scarcity
Footprints Footprint

Water
Carbon
Degradation
Footprint
Footprint

Water
Water Availability
Footprint Footprint

Reduced water
Reduced water availability Reduced water
availability from
from consumption and availability from
consumption
degradation + direct consumption and
pollution impacts degradation
74 Water Footprint Training Material
DEFINITIONS

• Water Withdrawal
Anthropogenic removal of water from any water body or from any drainage
basin, either permanently or temporarily (ISO 14046:2014) (also used:
water abstraction)

• Water Consumption
Water that is withdrawn and not released into the same watershed,
because it is evaporated, transferred or integrated into a product

• Water Degradation
Negative change in water quality (ISO 14046:2014)

75 Water Footprint Training Material

DEFINITIONS

• Water Scarcity
Extent to which demand for water compares to the
replenishment of water in an area, e.g.
a drainage basin, without taking into account the water quality
(ISO 14046:2014) (also used: water stress)

• Water Availability
Extent to which humans and ecosystems have sufficient water
resources for their needs (note: Water quality can also
influence availability, e.g. if quality is not sufficient
to meet users needs.)
(ISO 14046:2014)

76 Water Footprint Training Material

 Water Footprint types as per ISO 14046

Water Water
availability degradation
MIDPOINT
Profile of -Water scarcity footprint -Human toxicity
OR -Ecotoxicity
midpoint - Water availability -Eutrophication
indicators footprint -Acidification

“qualified” water footprint (ex: “degradation” WF, “scarcity” WF, etc)

Water footprint
77 Water Footprint Training Material
 Water Footprint of a load of laundry

SUPPLIERS MANUFACTURING USE END-OF-LIFE

Energy Water

Evaporation

Various
European
countries and
Spain France France
India
Source: Boulay, A.-M., Bayart, J.-B., Bulle, C.,
78 Water Footprint Training Material Franceschini, H., Motoshita, M., Muñoz, I., Pfister,
S., et al. (2013).
 METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW - MIDPOINT
Indicator Reference
Water Availability
Water 1 Scarcity Pfister et al.
Footprint 1 Boulay et al. Only
profile at Swiss Eco-Scarcity
midpoint: 1
1
WFN, Hoekstra et al.
one
Water 1a Availability Boulay et al.
method
availability 1a Veolia Impact Index, needed
and water Bayart el al.
degradation Water Degradation
2 Eutrophication ReCiPe
3 Acidification Impact 2002+
4 Ecotoxicity USEtox

5 Human Toxicity USEtox

Source: Boulay, A.-M., Bayart, J.-B., Bulle, C., Franceschini, H., Motoshita, M., Muñoz, I., Pfister, S., et al.
(2013). Water impact assessment methods analysis (Part B): Applicability for water footprinting and
decision making with a laundry case study. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Submitted.
 Midpoint Water Footprint profile

Water Scarcity
indicators

80 Water Footprint Training Material

 Midpoint Water Footprint profile

Water degradation
indicators
100% End-of-life: packaging
90%
80%
End-of-life: product
70%
60%
50% Use: heating energy and
moving the drum
40%
30% Use: tap water
20%
10%
Manufacturing
0%
Ecotox Eutrophication Acidification Human Tox
4.18E+00 1.21E-04 1.25E-03 8.14E-08 Suppliers

CTUe kg P-eq kg SO2-eq CTUh

81 Water Footprint Training Material
KEY POINTS
• Different types of assessments meet different goals
and provide more of less advanced results with
more or less extensive data needs
• The WFN approach is based on indicators at the
inventory level; a LCA-based water footprint is
based on indicators at the impact assessment level.
• Only a comprehensive set of indicators can be
called a water footprint as per ISO DIS2 14046,
otherwise it refers to a “qualified” water footprint (eg
“water scarcity footprint”).

82 Water Footprint Training Material

CONCLUSION

• Water Footprint is an important metric to assess

potential impacts associated with water all along the
life cycle

• A water footprint uses models to quantify potential

impacts at the midpoint (e.g. scarcity, eutrophication,
acidification, (eco)toxicity) or at the endpoint level
(e.g. human health, ecosystem quality)

• Details on these impact assessment models

(midpoint and endpoint) are explored in the advanced
training material.

83 Water Footprint Training Material

 References I

Alcamo, J., Henrichs, T., Rösch, T., (2000). World water in 2025: Global modeling and scenario analysis. In: Rijsberman, F.
(Ed.), World Water Scenarios. Earthscan Publications, London, pp. 243-281.
Bayart JB, Bulle C, Deschênes L, Margni M, Pfister S, Vince F, Koehler A (2010) A framework for assessing off-stream
freshwater use in LCA. Int J Life Cycle Ass 15:439-453
Bayart J, Grimaud J, E A (2011) The Water Impact Index: a simplified single-indicator approach for water footprinting. The
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (submitted)
Berger M, Finkbeiner M (2010) Water footprinting: How to assess water use in life cycle assessment? Sustainability 2:919-944
Berger M., J. Warsen, S. Krinke, V. Bach, M. Finkbeiner (2012): Water footprint of European cars: potential impacts of water
consumption along automobile life cycles. Environmental Science and Technology (in press), DOI: 10.1021/es2040043
Boesch, M. E.; Hellweg, S.; Huijbregts, M. A. J.; Frischknecht, R. (2007) Applying cumulative exergy demand (CExD) indicators
to the ecoinvent database. Int J Life Cycle Ass 12, 181-190
Boulay A-M, Bouchard C, Bulle C, Deschênes L, Margni M (2011a) Categorizing water for LCA inventory. The International
Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 16 (7):639-651
Boulay A-M, Bulle C, Bayart J-B, Deschênes L, Margni M (2011b) Regional characterization of freshwater use in LCA: modeling
direct impacts on human health. Environmental Science and Technology
Boulay, A.-M., Motoshita, M., Pfister, S., Bulle, C., Muñoz, I., Franceschini, H., & Margni, M. (2013a). Water use impact
assessment methods (Part A): Methodological and quantitative comparison of scarcity and human health impacts models.
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Submitted.
Boulay, A.-M., Bayart, J.-B., Bulle, C., Franceschini, H., Motoshita, M., Muñoz, I., Pfister, S., et al. (2013b). Water impact
assessment methods analysis (Part B): Applicability for water footprinting and decision making with a laundry case study.
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Submitted.
Chapagain AK, Hoekstra AY (2004) Water footprints of nations: Volume 1: Main report. Research report series no. 16.
UNESCO-IHE, Delft
Chapagain, A.K., Hoekstra, A.Y., Savenije, H.H.G. and Gautam, R. (2006) The water footprint of cotton consumption: An
assessment of the impact of worldwide consumption of cotton products on the water resources in the cotton producing
countries, Ecological Economics. 60(1): 186-203.

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 References II
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Cycle Ass 16: 580-591
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• Ambient water quality standards - The maximum allowable amount of a substance in rivers, lakes or groundwater,
given as a concentration. Ambient water quality standards can also refer to other properties of the water, such as
temperature or pH. Standards are set to protect against anticipated adverse effects on human health or welfare, wildlife or
the functioning of ecosystems.
• Blue water – Fresh surface and groundwater, in other words, the water in freshwater lakes, rivers and aquifers.
• Blue water availability – Natural run-off (through groundwater and rivers) minus environmental flow requirements. Blue
water availability typically varies within the year and also from year to year.
• Blue water footprint – Volume of surface and groundwater consumed as a result of the production of a good or service.
Consumption refers to the volume of freshwater used and then evaporated or incorporated into a product. It also includes
water abstracted from surface or groundwater in a catchment and returned to another catchment or the sea. It is the
amount of water abstracted from groundwater or surface water that does not return to the catchment from which it was
withdrawn.
• Blue water footprint impact index – An aggregated and weighed measure of the environmental impact of a blue water
footprint at catchment level. It is based on two inputs: (i) the blue water footprint of a product, consumer or producer
specified by catchment and by month; and (ii) the blue water scarcity by catchment and by month. The index is obtained
by multiplying the two matrices and then summing the elements of the resultant matrix. The outcome can be interpreted as
a blue water footprint weighed according to the blue water scarcity in the places and periods where the various blue water
footprint components occur.
• Blue water scarcity – The ratio of blue water footprint to blue water availability. Blue water scarcity varies within the year
and from year to year.
• Business water footprint – See ‘water footprint of a business’.
• Corporate water footprint – See ‘water footprint of a business’.
• Critical load – The load of pollutants that will fully consume the assimilation capacity of the receiving water body.
• Crop water requirement – The total water needed for evapotranspiration, from planting to harvest for a given crop in a
specific climate regime, when adequate soil water is maintained by rainfall and/or irrigation so that it does not limit plant
growth and crop yield.
• Crop yield – Weight of harvested crop per unit of harvested area.

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• Dilution factor – The number of times that a polluted effluent volume has to be diluted with ambient water in order to
arrive at the maximum acceptable concentration level.
• Direct water footprint – The direct water footprint of a consumer or producer (or a group of consumers or producers)
refers to the freshwater consumption and pollution that is associated to the water use by the consumer or producer. It is
distinct from the indirect water footprint, which refers to the water consumption and pollution that can be associated with
the production of the goods and services consumed by the consumer or the inputs used by the producer.
• Effective precipitation – The portion of the total precipitation that is retained by the soil so that it is available for crop
production.
• End-use water footprint of a product – When consumers use a product, there can be a water footprint in the end-use
stage. Think about the water pollution that results from the use of soaps in the household. In this case, one can speak
about the end-use water footprint of a product. This footprint is strictly spoken not part of the product water footprint, but
part of the consumer’s water footprint.
• Environmental flow requirements – The quantity, quality and timing of water flows required to sustain freshwater and
estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems.
• Environmental green water requirement – The quantity of green water from ands that need to be reserved for nature
and biodiversity preservation and for human livelihoods that depend on the ecosystems in the natural areas.
• Evapotranspiration – Evaporation from the soil and soil surface where crops are grown, including the transpiration of
water that actually passes crops.
• External water footprint of national consumption – The part of the water footprint of national consumption that falls
outside the nation considered. It refers to the appropriation of water resources in other nations for the production of goods
and services that are imported into and consumed within the nation considered.
• Geographic sustainability – The geographic sustainability of the green, blue and grey water footprints in a catchment or
river basin can be assessed based on a number of environmental, social and economic sustainability criteria.
• Global water saving through trade – International trade can save freshwater globally if a water-intensive commodity is
traded from an area where it is produced with high water productivity (small water footprint) to an area with lower water
productivity (large water footprint).

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• Green water – The precipitation on land that does not run off or recharge the groundwater but is stored in the soil or
temporarily stays on top of the soil or vegetation. Eventually, this part of precipitation evaporates or transpires through
plants. Green water can be made productive for crop growth (although not all green water can be taken up by crops,
because there will always be evaporation from the soil and because not all periods of the year or areas are suitable for
crop growth).
• Green water availability – The evapotranspiration of rainwater from land minus evapotranspiration from land reserved for
natural vegetation and minus evapotranspiration from land that cannot be made productive.
• Green water footprint – Volume of rainwater consumed during the production process. This is particularly relevant for
agricultural and forestry products (products based on crops or wood), where it refers to the total rainwater
evapotranspiration (from fields and plantations) plus the water incorporated into the harvested crop or wood.
• Green water footprint impact index – An aggregated and weighed measure of the environmental impact of a green
water footprint at catchment level. Based on two inputs: (i) the green water footprint of a product, consumer or producer
specified by catchment and by month; and (ii) the green water scarcity by catchment and by month. Obtained by
multiplying the two matrices and then summing the elements of the resultant matrix. Outcome can be interpreted as a
green water footprint weighed according to the green water scarcity in the places and periods where the various green
water footprint components occur.
• Green water scarcity – The ratio of green water footprint to green water availability. Varies within the year and from year
to year.
• Grey water footprint –an indicator of freshwater pollution that can be associated with the production of a product over its
full supply chain. Defined as the volume of freshwater required to assimilate the load of pollutants based on natural
background concentrations and existing ambient water quality standards. Calculated as the volume of water that is
required to dilute pollutants to such an extent that the quality of the water remains above agreed water quality standards.
• Grey water footprint impact index – An aggregated and weighed measure of the environmental impact of a grey water
footprint at catchment level. It is based on two inputs: (i) the grey water footprint of a product, consumer or producer
specified by catchment and by month; and (ii) the water pollution level by catchment and by month. The index is obtained
by multiplying the two matrices and then summing the elements of the resultant matrix. The outcome can be interpreted as
a grey water footprint weighed according to the water pollution level in the places and periods where the various grey
water footprint components occur.
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• Hotspot – A hotspot is a specific period of the year (such as the dry period) in a specific (sub)catchment in which the
water footprint is unsustainable, for example, because it compromises environmental water needs or water quality
standards or because the water allocation and use in the catchment is considered unfair and/or economically inefficient.
• Indirect water footprint – The indirect water footprint of a consumer or producer refers to the freshwater consumption
and pollution ‘behind’ products being consumed or produced. It is equal to the sum of the water footprints of all products
consumed by the consumer or of all (non-water) inputs used by the producer.
• Internal water footprint of national consumption – The part of the water footprint of national consumption that falls
inside the nation, in other words, the appropriation of domestic water resources for producing goods and services that are
consumed domestically.
• Irrigation requirement – The quantity of water exclusive of precipitation, in other words, the quantity of irrigation water,
required for normal crop production. It includes soil evaporation and some unavoidable losses under the given conditions.
It is usually expressed in water-depth units (millimetres) and may be stated in monthly, seasonal or annual terms, or for a
crop period.
• Maximum acceptable concentration – see ‘ambient water quality standards’.
• National water footprint – Is the same as what is more accurately called the ‘water footprint of national consumption’,
which is defined as the total amount of fresh water that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the
inhabitants of the nation. Part of this water footprint lies outside the territory of the nation. The term should not be confused
with the ‘water footprint within a nation’, which refers to the total freshwater volume consumed or polluted within the
territory of the nation.
• National water saving through trade – A nation can preserve its domestic freshwater resources by importing a water-
intensive product instead of producing it domestically.
• Natural concentration – The natural or background concentration in a receiving water body is the concentration in the
water body that would occur if there was no human disturbance in the catchment. (It corresponds to the ‘high status’
conditions as defined in the EU Water Framework Directive
• Operational water footprint of a business – The operational (or direct) water footprint of a business is the volume of
freshwater consumed or polluted due to its own operations.

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• Organizational water footprint – See ‘water footprint of a business’.

• Overhead water footprint – The water footprint of a product consists of two elements: the use of freshwater that can
immediately be related to the product and the use of freshwater in overhead activities. The latter element is called the
‘overhead water footprint’. The overhead water footprint refers to freshwater use that in the first instance cannot be fully
associated with the production of the specific product considered, but refers to freshwater use that associates with
supporting activities and materials used in the business, which produces not just this specific product but other products
as well. The overhead water footprint of a business has to be distributed over the various business products, which is
done based on the relative value per product. The overhead water footprint includes, for example, the freshwater use in
the toilets and kitchen of a factory and the freshwater use behind the concrete and steel used in the factory and
machineries.
• Primary impacts – The term ‘primary impacts’ is used in the context of assessing the sustainability of a water footprint in
a geographic area. Primary impacts refer to the effect of the water footprint in a catchment on water flows and water
quality.
• Production system – The production system of a product consists of all the sequential process steps applied to produce
it. A production system can be a linear chain of processes, it can take the shape of a product tree (many inputs ultimately
resulting in one output product) or it may rather look like a complex network of interlinked processes that eventually lead
one or more products.
• Return flow – The part of the water withdrawn for an agricultural, industrial or domestic purpose that returns to the
groundwater or surface water in the same catchment as where it was abstracted. This water can potentially be withdrawn
and used again.
• Secondary impacts – The term ‘secondary impacts’ is used, next to the term ‘primary impacts’, in the context of
assessing the sustainability of a water footprint in a geographic area. Secondary impacts refer to the impacts of a water
footprint on ultimate ecological, social and economic values such as biodiversity, human health, welfare and security.
• Supply-chain water footprint of a business – The supply-chain (or indirect) water footprint of a business is the volume
of freshwater consumed or polluted to produce all the goods and services that form the input of production of a business.
• Sustainability criteria – Sustainability criteria are generally categorized into three major themes: environmental, social
and economic sustainability.

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• Virtual-water balance – The virtual-water balance of a geographically delineated area (for example, a nation or
catchment area) over a certain time period is defined as the net import of virtual water over this period, which is equal to
the gross import of virtual water minus the gross export. A positive virtual-water balance implies net inflow of virtual water
to the nation from other nations. A negative balance means net outflow of virtual water.
• Virtual-water content – The virtual-water content of a product is the freshwater ‘embodied’ in the product, not in real
sense, but in virtual sense. It refers to the volume of water consumed or polluted for producing the product, measured over
its full production chain. If a nation exports/imports such a product, it exports/imports water in virtual form. The ‘virtual-
water content of a product’ is the same as ‘the water footprint of a product’, but the former refers to the water volume
embodied in the product alone, while the latter term refers to that volume, but also to which sort of water is being used and
to when and where that water is being used. The water footprint of a product is thus a multidimensional indicator, whereas
virtual-water content refers to a volume alone.
• Virtual-water export – The virtual-water export from a geographically delineated area (for example, a nation or catchment
area) is the volume of virtual water associated with the export of goods or services from the area. It is the total volume of
freshwater consumed or polluted to produce the products for export.
• Virtual-water flow – The virtual-water flow between two geographically delineated areas (for example, two nations) is the
volume of virtual water that is being transferred from the one to the another area as a result of product trade.
• Virtual-water import – The virtual-water import into a geographically delineated area (for example, a nation or catchment
area) is the volume of virtual water associated with the import of goods or services into the area. It is the total volume of
freshwater used (in the export areas) to produce the products. Viewed from the perspective of the importing area, this
water can be seen as an additional source of water that comes on top of the available water resources within the area
itself.
• Water abstraction – See ‘water withdrawal’.
• Water appropriation – This is a term used in the context of water footprint assessment to refer to both the ‘consumption’
of freshwater for human activities (green and blue water footprint) and the ‘pollution’ of freshwater by human activities
(grey water footprint).

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• Water consumption – The volume of freshwater used and then evaporated or incorporated into a product. It also includes
water abstracted from surface or groundwater in a catchment and returned to another catchment or the sea. It is important
to distinguish the term ‘water consumption’ from the term ‘water withdrawal’ or ‘water abstraction’.
• Water footprint – The water footprint is an indicator of freshwater use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a
consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of
freshwater used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the
business. Water use is measured in terms of water volumes consumed (evaporated or incorporated into a product) and/or
polluted per unit of time. A water footprint can be calculated for a particular product, for any well-defined group of
consumers (for example, an individual, family, village, city, province, state or nation) or producers (for example, a public
organization, private enterprise or economic sector). The water footprint is a geographically explicit indicator, showing not
only volumes of water use and pollution, but also the locations.
• Water footprint accounting – The step in water footprint assessment that refers to collecting factual, empirical data on
water footprints with a scope and depth as defined earlier.
• Water footprint assessment – Water footprint assessment refers to the full range of activities to: (i) quantify and locate
the water footprint of a process, product, producer or consumer or to quantify in space and time the water footprint in a
specified geographic area; (ii) assess the environmental, social and economic sustainability of this water footprint; and (iii)
formulate a response strategy.
• Water footprint impact indices – See ‘blue/green/grey water footprint impact index’.
• Water footprint of a business – The water footprint of a business – which can also be called alternatively corporate or
organizational water footprint – is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used directly and indirectly to run and
support a business. The water footprint of a business consists of two components: the direct water use by the producer
(for producing/manufacturing or for supporting activities) and the indirect water use (the water use in the producer’s supply
chain). The ‘water footprint of a business’ is the same as the total ‘water footprint of the business output products’.
• Water footprint of a consumer – Is defined as the total volume of freshwater consumed and polluted for the production
of the goods and services consumed by the consumer. It is calculated by adding the direct water use by people and their
indirect water use. The latter can be found by multiplying all goods and services consumed by their respective water
footprint.

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• Water footprint of national consumption – Is defined as the total amount of fresh water that is used to produce the
goods and services consumed by the inhabitants of the nation. The water footprint of national consumption can be
assessed in two ways. The bottom-up approach is to consider the sum of all products consumed multiplied with their
respective product water footprint. In the top-down approach, the water footprint of national consumption is calculated as
the total use of domestic water resources plus the gross virtual water import minus the gross virtual-water export.
• Water footprint of national production – Another term for the ‘water footprint within a nation’.
• Water footprint of a product – The water footprint of a product (a commodity, good or service) is the total volume of
freshwater used to produce the product, summed over the various steps of the production chain. The water footprint of a
product refers not only to the total volume of water used; it also refers to where and when the water is used.
• Water footprint offsetting – Offsetting the negative impacts of a water footprint is part of water neutrality. Offsetting is a
last step, after a prior effort of reducing a water footprint insofar reasonably possible. Compensation can be done by
contributing to (for example, by investing in) a more sustainable and equitable use of water in the hydrological units in
which the impacts of the remaining water footprint are located.
• Water footprint sustainability assessment – The phase in water footprint assessment that aims to evaluate whether a
certain water footprint is sustainable from an environmental, social, as well as an economic point of view.
• Water footprint within a geographically delineated area – Is defined as the total freshwater consumption and pollution
within the boundaries of the area. The area can be for example a hydrological unit such as a catchment area or a river
basin or an administrative unit like a municipality, province, state or nation.
• Water footprint within a nation – Is defined as the total freshwater volume consumed or polluted within the territory of
the nation.
• Water neutral – A process, product, consumer, community or business is water neutral when: (i) its water footprint has
been reduced where possible, particularly in places with a high degree of water scarcity or pollution; and (ii) when the
negative environmental, social and economic externalities of the remaining water footprint have been offset
(compensated). In some particular cases, when interference with the water cycle can be completely avoided – for
example, by full water recycling and zero waste – ‘water neutral’ means that the water footprint is nullified; in other cases,
such as in the case of crop growth, the water footprint cannot be nullified. Therefore ‘water neutral’ does not necessarily
mean that the water footprint is brought down to zero, but that it is reduced as much as possible and that the negative
economic, social and environmental externalities of the remaining water footprint are fully compensated.

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Glossary XVI – Water Footprinting Network
• Water pollution level – Degree of pollution of the run-off flow, measured as the fraction of the waste assimilation capacity
of runoff actually consumed. A water pollution level of 100 per cent means the waste assimilation capacity of the runoff
flow has been fully consumed.
• Water productivity – Product units produced per unit of water consumption or pollution. Water productivity (product
units/m3) is the inverse of the water footprint (m3/product unit). Blue water productivity refers to the product units obtained
per cubic metre of blue water consumed. Green water productivity refers to the product units obtained per cubic metre of
green water consumed. Grey water productivity refers to the product units obtained per cubic metre of grey water
produced. The term ‘water productivity’ is a similar term as the terms labour productivity or land productivity, but now
production is divided over the water input. When water productivity is measured in monetary output instead of physical
output per unit of water, one can speak about ‘economic water productivity’.
• Water scarcity – See ‘blue water scarcity’ and ‘green water scarcity’.
• Water self-sufficiency versus water dependency of a nation - The ‘water self-sufficiency’ of a nation is defined as the
ratio of the internal to the total water footprint of national consumption. It denotes the degree to which the nation supplies
the water needed for the production of the domestic demand for goods and services. Self-sufficiency is 100 per cent if all
the water needed is available and indeed taken from within the nation’s own territory. Water self-sufficiency approaches
zero if the demand for goods and services in a nation is largely met with virtual-water imports. Nations with import of virtual
water depend, de facto, on the water resources available in other parts of the world. The ‘virtual water import dependency’
of a nation is defined as the ratio of the external to the total water footprint of national consumption.
• Water withdrawal – The volume of freshwater abstraction from surface or groundwater. Part of the freshwater withdrawal
will evaporate, another part will return to the catchment where it was withdrawn and yet another part may return to another
catchment or the sea.

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 Authors
• Stephan Pfister is a senior research associate at ETH Zurich,
focusing on the impact assessment of water consumption in Life
Cycle Assessment (LCA) of agriculture and power production and
advancing water footprinting concepts including future
assessments and international trade. For his PhD thesis he was
honored by the "SETAC Europe LCA Young Scientist Award" and
the “ETH Zurich Medal”. Stephan is member of the "ecoinvent
Editorial Board" focusing on water data collection and an editor for
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

• Anne-Marie Boulay finished her PhD on the development,

comparison and applications of water use impact assessment
methods in LCA at CIRAIG, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal,
Canada. She is currently the project leader of the WULCA working
group on water use in LCA, of the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle
Initiative and is participating as the Canadian representative to the
ISO Water Footprinting (14046) standard development .

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 Acknowledgements
Official review:
Sonia Valdivia
•Claudia Pena
Maite Aldaya
•Yiwen Chiu
Stefanie Hellweg
•Jean-Baptiste Bayart
Markus Berger
•Francesca Verones
Lea Eymann
•Bruce Vigon
Francesca Verones
•Masaharu Motoshita
Jean-Baptiste Bayart
•Elan Theeboom
Michael Boesch
•Reinout Heijungs
Rosalie van Zelm
March 2014
Masaharu Motoshita
•Nydia Suppen
Sebastien Humbert
•Alan Brent
Chris Mutel
•A. K. Chapagain
Sangwon Suh
•Leonor Patricia Güereca
Thomas Sonderegger
•Marco Lotz
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 Disclaimer
Copyright © UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative (2013)
This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for
educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the
copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The
UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative would appreciate receiving a copy of
any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this
publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose
whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations
Environment Programme.

Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this
publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the
part of the United Environment Programme concerning the legal status of
any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Moreover, the views expressed
do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United
Nations Environment Programme, nor does citing of trade names or
commercial processes constitute endorsement.

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 A joint organisation
of UNEP & SETAC

103 Water Footprint Training Material

 A joint organisation
of UNEP & SETAC

This material was prepared by

Dr. Stephan Pfister and
Dr. Anne-Marie Boulay

April 2014
 A joint organisation
of UNEP & SETAC

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Quizz
 QUIZZ 1
1 How can doing a water footprint help your organization?
2 What are the main issues associated with the water
resource?
3 What is the difference between a midpoint and an
endpoint in LCA?
4 What decisions can an LCA help you with?
5 What are the 3 areas of protection identified in LCA?
6 What is the difference between impacts from water use
and impacts on the water resource?
7 What types of impacts are caused by water pollution?
8 What is the main difference between the Water
Footprint Network methodology and a life cycle-based
water footprint?
107 Water Footprint Training Material