{"id":22885,"date":"2026-09-08T09:45:04","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T07:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/?p=22885"},"modified":"2026-09-08T09:46:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T07:46:32","slug":"water-footprint-for-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/updates\/water-footprint-for-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Water footprint: what it is, how it’s calculated and why it matters for businesses<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Every product, service or business activity conceals a water consumption that goes far beyond the flow running from taps. We’re talking about the water footprint, the indicator that measures the direct and indirect use of the resource along the entire supply chain. In this article we explain the meaning of this indicator, how the water footprint is measured, what its three components are, and how it is calculated according to the ISO 14046 standard. We conclude by introducing the Water Stewardship approach, through a case study carried out with Sanpellegrino on the Brenta aquifer.<\/p>\n

What is the water footprint<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The water footprint (or water footprint<\/em>) is an indicator that measures the use of freshwater by a consumer, a company, a product or an entire territory, considering not only direct withdrawal but also indirect withdrawal, hidden along the entire supply chain.<\/p>\n

The concept was born in 2002 from Dutch researcher Arjen Y. Hoekstra, as an evolution of the idea of “virtual water<\/strong>” proposed in 1993 by geographer John Anthony Allan: the volume of water needed to produce a good, even if it is not physically contained<\/strong> in the final product. On this basis, the water footprint makes visible the water flows that move, invisibly, between different supply chains, markets and territories.<\/p>\n

Today, however, the term “water footprint” actually identifies two distinct methodological approaches, which share the language but not always the way the final result is calculated: the Water Footprint Assessment<\/em><\/strong><\/a> by the Water Footprint Network (WFN)<\/em>, with a volumetric approach, and the ISO 14046<\/em><\/a><\/strong> standard, with a more properly environmental (LCA-based) approach. It’s worth keeping them distinct from the outset.<\/p>\n

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Water footprint and carbon footprint: CO2 is global, water is local<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before going into the details of the two methods, it’s worth clarifying why water deserves an indicator of its own.<\/strong> In recent years, decarbonization<\/strong> has been the guiding star of corporate sustainability: measuring and reducing one’s own Carbon Footprint<\/em><\/a> has become a standard for any forward-looking company. But there is another vital element that is emerging strongly among sustainability and risk priorities: water. The climate crisis is altering the water cycle, alternating periods of severe drought with extreme weather events, and for companies this translates into immediate operational, financial and reputational risks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, impacts on water and CO2 emissions need to be thought of according to different logics: CO2 is global, water is local. A tonne of CO2 emitted in Milan has the same impact<\/strong> on the global climate as a tonne emitted in Tokyo; for water the situation changes radically, because water impacts depend entirely on the context<\/strong> and the river basin in which one operates. Withdrawing 1,000 cubic metres of water in an area rich in resources does not carry the same weight as withdrawing them in an area affected by severe water stress: this is why calculating the water footprint is only effective if it is contextualized.<\/p>\n

The WFN approach: blue, green and grey water<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The water footprint according to the WFN method distinguishes three types of freshwater:<\/p>\n