Water footprints. Analysis of water footprint calculator.

CONCEPT OF WATER FOOTPRINTS
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Analysis of water footprint calculator and how they are calculated for individuals
Water footprint concept is used to show the extent to which water is used by people about their consumption rate. The water footprint is the total freshwater volume consumed by business, individual or community and the one used in the production of the goods as well as services which are consumed by the individual and the community and other businesses. Water usage is measured in terms of the volume of water consumed (evaporated) and also in terms of the water polluted by an individual, community or business per unit time (Mekonnen et al., 2012). Water footprint calculation is important for any precisely defined group of consumers who may include; a country, province, a city, a community, a family or an individual. It is also important to producers of goods and services which include; the public organization, economic sector, government parastatals as well as the private enterprise.
In the past, water usage was approached and calculated from the production perspective through quantifying only three columns of water usage. That is the domestic, industrial and agricultural sector. Though this method of analyzing water footprint provided useful and valuable data concerning water usage, it was a limited method of determining the globalized world water usage rate and capacity (Mekonnen et al., 2012). This was evident because the products produced in a particular country are not only consumed in their country of origin but are also exported to other different countries in different regions of the globe for consumption. This international trading of products, both industrial and agricultural, creates a flow of embodied as well as virtual global water.
The current and advanced water footprint concept was introduced in the year 2002 which became analogous to the traditional water footprint concept which was ecological-based. The new water footprint provided additional and much useful information, and the primary objective of introducing this concept was to provide an indicator of water usage based on the consumption aspect. The current water footprint shows not only ...