A Model for the Assessment of the Water Footprint …
65
result of the publication of “The Standard Methodology of Calculus” [40] and the
“Water Footprint Assessment Manual” (2011) [35].
An WF can be calculated for a particular product, for any well-defined group of
consumers (an individual, family, village, city, province, state or nation) or producers
(a public organization, private enterprise or an economic sector). Based on the classification made by Mekonnen and Hoekstra in the Water Footprint Assessment Manual
(2011) [35]. The WF assesses both direct and indirect water use.
The direct WF, has three components that are differentiated by colour and is
related to the consumption of freshwater (blue component), with the risks associated
with climate change (green component) and is focused on compliance with discharge
regulations, that is, with the quality of ecosystems (grey component). It is, therefore,
an effective environmental indicator for understanding how human activities relate
to impacts associated with water scarcity and pollution.
The indirect WF is related to eco-design, i. e., the development of products that
have a longer life span, that can be reused, repaired, dismantled, as well as fully reused
or recycled or their components. It could also differ in its three water components, but
this is not often the case. In general, industrial processes are responsible for the release
of high volumes of highly polluting chemicals that would require high volumes of
water to dissolve if not properly treated. For this reason, the industries that carry out
untreated discharges have a high indirect WF due to their grey component, and the
industries that treat their discharges properly, complying with the parameters marked
by regulations, according to the environmental protection of the receiving waterway,
do not calculate their grey component in the indirect WF calculation, reducing the
calculation only to the freshwater consumed in the manufacturing process of the
material, that is, the blue component [87].
Since its definition and systematization, research in this area has proliferated.
The value of this indicator as a tool in decision-making is mainly recognized in the
agricultural and livestock production sectors. Preliminary crop estimates have been
made at the provincial or national level with explicit spatial data [89], the WF of
the agricultural sector and the reservoirs in the Guadalquivir basin has been calculated [69], the relationship between productive sectors (agriculture and livestock)
in Andalusia, has been studied in terms of water consumption [86], and also in the
industrial sector under a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach [9].
Water is a key resource for the future development of society and advancing
knowledge from different perspectives of its management will allow us to improve
our understanding of how water governance can be influenced to integrate criteria
of environmental sustainability, social equity, economic efficiency and security of
supply [39]. The WF is contributing to raising awareness of water issues and its
transfer to the urban sector seems appropriate.
To consider WF at the city level, it is necessary to identify and delimit the
geographical area of study, identify each of the processes related to urban water
supply and sanitation that are carried out in that area, and collect the data on water
consumption necessary for each process over a significant period of time. In the urban
system, the inputs and outputs to be considered are, on the one hand, the direct inputs
which are in the form of rain (green water), groundwater and through the urban water
65
result of the publication of “The Standard Methodology of Calculus” [40] and the
“Water Footprint Assessment Manual” (2011) [35].
An WF can be calculated for a particular product, for any well-defined group of
consumers (an individual, family, village, city, province, state or nation) or producers
(a public organization, private enterprise or an economic sector). Based on the classification made by Mekonnen and Hoekstra in the Water Footprint Assessment Manual
(2011) [35]. The WF assesses both direct and indirect water use.
The direct WF, has three components that are differentiated by colour and is
related to the consumption of freshwater (blue component), with the risks associated
with climate change (green component) and is focused on compliance with discharge
regulations, that is, with the quality of ecosystems (grey component). It is, therefore,
an effective environmental indicator for understanding how human activities relate
to impacts associated with water scarcity and pollution.
The indirect WF is related to eco-design, i. e., the development of products that
have a longer life span, that can be reused, repaired, dismantled, as well as fully reused
or recycled or their components. It could also differ in its three water components, but
this is not often the case. In general, industrial processes are responsible for the release
of high volumes of highly polluting chemicals that would require high volumes of
water to dissolve if not properly treated. For this reason, the industries that carry out
untreated discharges have a high indirect WF due to their grey component, and the
industries that treat their discharges properly, complying with the parameters marked
by regulations, according to the environmental protection of the receiving waterway,
do not calculate their grey component in the indirect WF calculation, reducing the
calculation only to the freshwater consumed in the manufacturing process of the
material, that is, the blue component [87].
Since its definition and systematization, research in this area has proliferated.
The value of this indicator as a tool in decision-making is mainly recognized in the
agricultural and livestock production sectors. Preliminary crop estimates have been
made at the provincial or national level with explicit spatial data [89], the WF of
the agricultural sector and the reservoirs in the Guadalquivir basin has been calculated [69], the relationship between productive sectors (agriculture and livestock)
in Andalusia, has been studied in terms of water consumption [86], and also in the
industrial sector under a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach [9].
Water is a key resource for the future development of society and advancing
knowledge from different perspectives of its management will allow us to improve
our understanding of how water governance can be influenced to integrate criteria
of environmental sustainability, social equity, economic efficiency and security of
supply [39]. The WF is contributing to raising awareness of water issues and its
transfer to the urban sector seems appropriate.
To consider WF at the city level, it is necessary to identify and delimit the
geographical area of study, identify each of the processes related to urban water
supply and sanitation that are carried out in that area, and collect the data on water
consumption necessary for each process over a significant period of time. In the urban
system, the inputs and outputs to be considered are, on the one hand, the direct inputs
which are in the form of rain (green water), groundwater and through the urban water