Blue Water Footprint: What it is and How It is Calculated

<p id="">The <strong>blue water footprint</strong> is one of the most important concepts in water management and sustainability. It refers to the volume of fresh water withdrawn from surface- or ground-water bodies to produce goods and services. <a href="https://www.manglai.io/blog/huella-hidrica-azul-que-es-como-se-calcula" target="_blank" id="">Manglai</a></p><p id="">It is considered a key indicator for assessing the environmental impact of water consumption across industries and human activities. </p><p id="">In this article we explain exactly what the blue water footprint is, how it is calculated and why it matters for sustainability. </p><h2 id="">What is the Blue Water Footprint?</h2><p id="">The <strong>blue water footprint </strong>measures the amount of fresh water directly used in producing a product or service and coming from external sources such as rivers, lakes and aquifers. It includes not only the visible water used during manufacturing, but also the water consumed in upstream stages of the supply chain. For instance, producing rice involves blue water for irrigation drawn from freshwater sources. Because water is a finite resource, managing it properly is crucial to safeguarding ecosystems and human well-being.</p><p>If you want to learn more about the water footprint and its environmental impact, check out our article: <a href="https://www.manglai.io/en/blog/what-is-water-footprint-how-it-impact-environment"><strong>What is the Water Footprint and How does it Impact the Environment?</strong></a></p><h3 id="">Examples of Blue Water Footprint</h3><ul id=""><li><strong>Conventional cotton</strong>: 10,100 L of blue water per kg of fiber.</li><li><strong>Irrigated Arabica coffee</strong>: 1,120 L per 125 mL cup.</li><li><strong>5 nm microchip</strong>: 32 L per unit (polishing and chemical cleaning stage).</li></ul><h2 id="">How is the Blue Water Footprint Calculated?</h2><p id="">Calculating the blue water footprint involves several steps:</p><ol id=""><li><strong id="">Identify water sources</strong> – surface (rivers, lakes) or ground-water (aquifers) used in each production stage.</li><li><strong id="">Measure the volume withdrawn</strong> – expressed in cubic metres of water per functional unit.</li><li><strong id="">Add up all processes</strong> – from raw-material production to final manufacturing, then express the result in litres per product.</li></ol><p id="">The blue water footprint varies by product type, geographic location and production process. Crops such as coffee or cotton generally show higher blue footprints because of intensive irrigation, whereas others need far less. </p><h3 id="">Step-by-step method (ISO 14046)</h3><ul id=""><li><strong id="">Step 1:</strong> Define system boundaries (cradle-to-gate, gate-to-gate)</li><li><strong id="">Step 2:</strong> Create a flow inventory – measure m³ s-¹ withdrawn at each point (IoT flow meters)</li><li><strong id="">Step 3:</strong> Allocate use to each functional unit – e.g. in OpenLCA (water module)</li><li><strong id="">Step 4:</strong> Normalise – convert to L per unit using WaterStat factors</li><li><strong id="">Step 5:</strong> External verification – SGS / Bureau Veritas certification</li></ul><h2 id="">Blue Water Footprint in different industries</h2><p id="">To better understand the calculation and influencing factors of the blue water footprint, consider examples from various industries:</p><ul id=""><li><strong id="">Agriculture</strong>: Irrigated crops such as rice or cotton have very high blue footprints because of the large volumes required for irrigation.</li><li><strong id="">Textile Industry</strong>: Producing fibres such as cotton and dyeing or washing garments (e.g. T-shirts, jeans) consumes substantial blue water.</li><li><strong id="">Food and Beverage</strong>: The footprint varies widely; orange-juice production, for instance, is water-intensive because of the water needed to grow the fruit.</li></ul><p>If you're interested in learning more about how the water footprint affects other sectors, check out our articles on the <strong>water footprint in agriculture</strong> and on how to measure the environmental impact of products through <strong>Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)</strong>.</p><h2 id="">Strategies to reduce Blue Water Footprint</h2><p id="">Here are some strategies to help reduce the blue water footprint:</p><ul id=""><li><strong id="">Operational</strong>: Convert flood irrigation to pressurized drip systems — estimated reduction of 40–55%.</li><li><strong id="">Technological</strong>: CIP with compressed air + pulsed water — 20–35%.</li><li><strong id="">Treatment</strong>: MBR + RO systems with recirculation — 50–70%.</li><li><strong id="">Supply</strong>: "Water-positive" agreements with BCI farmers — &gt;50%.</li><li><strong id="">Product design</strong>: Replace cotton with modal (−65% BWF) — 60–70%.</li></ul><h2 id="">Blue Water Footprint and Sustainability</h2><p id="">The blue water footprint is a key indicator for evaluating the sustainability of a product or service, reflecting the impact of water consumption on biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems. Excessive water use in production can lead to overexploitation of water sources and degradation of aquatic ecosystems.</p><p id="">Reducing the blue water footprint contributes to conserving water resources and improving production process efficiency. Strategies include optimizing water use, implementing water recycling systems, and adopting more efficient agricultural practices.</p><p>To learn more about strategies for reducing the water footprint in businesses, take a look at our article on <strong>how companies can reduce their water footprint</strong>.</p><h2 id="">Blue Water Footprint: A fundamental indicator for measuring Water Consumption Impact</h2><p id="">The blue water footprint is essential for measuring the environmental impact of water consumption and assessing the sustainability of products or services. Through its calculation and analysis, we can identify areas to improve water use efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of human activities.</p><p id="">Adopting sustainable practices to minimize the blue water footprint is crucial to ensure water availability for future generations.</p><h2 id="">Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Water Footprint</h2><h3 id=""><strong id="">Does the blue water footprint include pollution?</strong></h3><p id="">No. Pollution load is reflected in the <strong>grey water footprint</strong>; the blue water footprint measures only water volume withdrawn.</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">What is the difference between blue and green water footprint?</strong></h3><ul id=""><li>Green: rainwater in soil.</li><li>Blue: pumped water.</li><li>Grey: water for pollutant dilution.</li></ul><h3 id=""><strong id="">How does climate change affect the blue water footprint?</strong></h3><p id="">It decreases surface water availability, forcing a <strong>30% increase </strong>in groundwater extraction in semi-arid basins.</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Are there tax incentives to reduce it?</strong></h3><p id="">In Spain, Law 1/2023 offers a 10% Corporate Tax deduction for investments in water efficiency.</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">What KPIs complement the blue water footprint?</strong></h3><ul id=""><li>Water Scarcity Footprint (AWARE).</li><li>Water Dependency Index.</li><li>Percentage of recycled water over total withdrawn.</li></ul>

Learn what the blue water footprint is, how to calculate it, and reduce it by up to 60% with concrete data and real-world examples.

What is the Water Footprint and How does it Impact the Environment?

<p id="">The water footprint is a concept that has gained relevance in recent years due to growing concerns about the unsustainable use of water in human activities. This indicator measures the volume of freshwater used to produce goods and services, helping us better understand the environmental impact associated with the consumption of this vital resource.</p><p id="">In this article, we explore what the water footprint is, its different types, and how its excessive use impacts the environment.</p><h2 id="">What is the Water Footprint?</h2><p id="">The <strong>water footprint</strong> is a measure that calculates the total water used in all stages of a product's life, from production to consumption and disposal. This footprint not only considers the water used directly, such as in manufacturing processes, but also the water needed to grow materials, transport products, and process them.</p><p id="">The water footprint is classified into three main types:</p><ol id=""><li><strong id="">Blue water footprint</strong>: Surface or groundwater extracted and not returned to the same body.</li><li><strong id="">Green water footprint</strong>: Rainwater stored in soil and evaporated during plant growth.</li><li><strong id="">Grey water footprint</strong>: The volume of water required to dilute pollutants to meet quality standards.</li></ol><p id="">To better understand how these types of water footprints impact the environment, it's important to delve into each of them.</p><h2 id="">Why is the Water Footprint important?</h2><p id="">A high water footprint depletes water sources, degrades ecosystems, and exposes companies to sanctions and market blockages. A deterministic example: one kilogram of beef requires 15,400 liters of water, while one kilogram of legumes requires 4,300 liters.</p><h3 id="">Quantifiable effects</h3><ul id=""><li><strong id="">Loss of biodiversity</strong>: Reduction of up to 75% of aquatic species in overexploited basins.</li><li><strong id="">Social impact</strong>: Rural communities may spend 20% of their income on bottled water when wells dry up.</li><li><strong id="">Business cost</strong>: Interruptions due to water stress add up to USD 301 million annually for the global textile industry (average 2020–2024).</li></ul><h2 id="">The impact of the Water Footprint on the Environment</h2><p id="">The impact of the water footprint is significant, especially when there is excessive or inefficient use of water. As global water demand grows due to population increase and industrialization, managing this resource sustainably becomes more challenging.</p><p id="">One of the most severe impacts of a high water footprint is the destruction of aquatic ecosystems. Rivers, lakes, and aquifers can be depleted or polluted by excessive water extraction. This affects not only aquatic species but also human communities that depend on water for consumption and agricultural development.</p><p id="">If you want to learn how to calculate and assess the environmental impact of products, we invite you to read more in our article: <strong>Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): How to Evaluate the Environmental Impact of a Product.</strong></p><h2 id="">How is the Water Footprint measured?</h2><p id="">To measure the water footprint, the <a href="https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/iso-14064-standard">ISO 14046</a>:2014 standard or the Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) methodology is applied in four steps:</p><ol id=""><li><strong id="">Scope</strong>: Define system boundaries.</li><li><strong id="">Accounting</strong>: Quantify Blue, Green, and Grey Water Footprints (m³).</li><li><strong id="">Impact assessment</strong>: Transform volumes into scarcity and pollution indicators.</li><li><strong id="">Response</strong>: Design and implement reduction strategies.</li></ol><h2 id="">The importance of measuring the Water Footprint</h2><p id="">Measuring the water footprint of products and activities allows us to identify areas where water consumption can be reduced. It's a crucial measure in a world where freshwater is becoming an increasingly scarce resource.</p><p id="">Calculating the water footprint involves analyzing the different stages of a product's life cycle. For example, in the textile industry, large amounts of water are used to grow cotton, dye fabrics, and process them. Reducing the water footprint in this industry involves seeking alternatives that use less water at all production stages.</p><p id="">For companies, measuring the water footprint can lead to implementing strategies to optimize water use and improve the efficiency of production processes.</p><p id="">If you want to delve deeper into the topic, you can read our article: <strong>How to Measure the Water Footprint in Companies</strong>.</p><h2 id="">Why is the Water Footprint important in the context of sustainability?</h2><p id="">Sustainability not only refers to reducing the carbon footprint but also to the responsible use of other natural resources, such as water. Adopting a sustainable approach to water management is essential to ensure that future generations have access to this vital resource.</p><p id="">In agriculture, for example, efficient water use can have a direct impact on food production and environmental health.</p><p id="">If you want to learn more about how the water footprint affects agriculture and how to optimize its use in crops, we invite you to consult our article: <strong>Water Footprint in Agriculture: The Impact of Water Use on Crops</strong>.</p>

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Blue Water Footprint: What it is and How It is Calculated

What is the Water Footprint and How does it Impact the Environment?

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