Water footprints of nations :

Water use by people as a function of their

consumption pattern
A.Y. Hoekstra, A.K. Chapagain

Water footprint
Water footprint of a nation is defined as the total volume of
freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services
consumed by the people of the nation
- Consumption based indicator of water
- Water footprint consists of two parts: use of domestic
water resources and use of water outside the borders of
the country (Internal and External water footprint)

Internal Water footprint

Use of domestic water resources to produce goods and
services consumed by inhabitants of the country
IWFP = AWU + IWW + DWW - VWEdom
AWU - Agricultural sector withdrawal
IWW - Industrial sector withdrawal
DWW - Domestic sector withdrawal
VWEdom - Virtual water exported

External water footprint

Annual volume of water resources used in other countries
to produce goods and services consumed by the
inhabitants of the country concerned
EWFP = VWI - VWEre-export
VWI - Virtual Water import
VWEre-export- Virtual water exported to other countries as a
result of re-export of imported products

Virtual water flows between nations

VWF [ne,ni,c] = CT [ne,ni,c] x VWC [ne,c]
VWF - Virtual water flow (m3yr1) from exporting country ne
to importing country ni as a result of trade in commodity c
CT - Commodity trade (ton yr1) from the exporting to the
importing country
VWC - Virtual water content (m3 ton1) of the commodity

Water needs by product

Total volume of water used globally for crop
production is 6390 Gm3/yr at field level
Livestock products have a higher virtual water
content than crop products

Virtual water content of Industrial

products
Nations

Industri
al
Virtual
Water
content
(Avg)

USA

801 per
US$

Germany

501 per

Water footprint of nations

Global water footprint is 7450 Gm 3/yr
Average Global water footprint is 1240 m3/cap/yr
In absolute terms, India is the country with the largest
footprint in the world, with a total footprint of 987 Gm 3/yr
Much lower on per capita basis
USA - 2480 m3/yr per capita
Southern European countries (Greece, Italy & Spain)
23002400 m3/yr per capita
China - 700 m3/yr per capita
Malaysia & Thailand - High water footprints

Factors influencing Water footprints

Total volume of consumption (Related to income)

Water intensive consumption pattern (Livestock products)
Climate
Water inefficient agricultural practices

How can water footprints be reduced?

Link between economic growth and increased water
use - Production techniques that require less water per
unit of product
Production from areas with low water productivity to
high water productivity
Shift to consumption patterns that require less water

Conclusion
National and regional water policy studies should
include an analysis of international or interregional virtual water flows