water footprint

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the total volume of freshwater used to produce a good or service, measured at the point of production; includes blue water (surface and groundwater), green water (rainwater absorbed by crops), and grey water (water needed to dilute pollutants); a tool for understanding the hidden water embedded in food, clothing, and manufactured goods

Examples

• The water footprint of a single cotton T-shirt is approximately 2,700 litres.
• Water footprint accounting reveals that importing water-intensive crops is effectively importing water from water-scarce countries.

Synonyms: virtual water content, embedded water, hidden water use