Name : Putu Audrina Utama

NRP : 3614100062
Major : Urban and Regional Planning (Undergraduate)

Theme : Pure Science and Technology Development

Water-Footprint
Human, as part of the environment, uses water to fulfil their daily needs. The term
that we use for this activity is water-footprint. What is water-footprint? Based on theory,
water-footprint is the amount of water that we use in and around our house, school or office
throughout the day. It includes the water we use directly (ex. Tap water). It also includes the
water it took to produce the food you eat, the products you buy, the energy you consume and
even the water you save when you recycle. We may not drink, feel or see this virtual
water, but it makes up the majority of your water footprint. Simply, water footprint refers to
the volumes of water consumption and pollution that are behind your daily consumption.

Water-footprint theory calculates the humans need of water based on freshwater

supplies in countries, even world. Freshwater (non-saline water) is vital to our life, yet as our
population and prosperity grow rapidly, the need of freshwater is growing up too. From 1900
to 2000, water use for agriculture went from about 500 to 2,500 cubic kilometres per year,
while total use rose from around 600 to more than 3,000 cubic kilometres per year.
Agriculture uses 70% of water resources, compared to 20% for industry and 10% for
domestic use. In industrialized nations, however, industries consume more than half of the
water available for human use. Belgium, for example, uses 80% of the water available for
industry. Freshwater withdrawals have tripled over the last 50 years. Demand for freshwater
is increasing by 64 billion cubic meters a year (1 cubic meter = 1,000 liters)

But the fact says that freshwater is a scarce resource. Its annual availability is limited.
The water footprint of humanity has exceeded sustainable levels at several places and is
unequally distributed among people. There are many places in the world where serious water
depletion or pollution takes place: rivers running dry, dropping lake and groundwater levels
and endangered species because of contaminated water. According to the United Nations
water organization, UN-Water, the total usable freshwater supply for ecosystems and humans
is only about 200,000 km3 of water less than one percent (<1%) of all freshwater resources.
And, water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of the population increase in the
last century. Specifically, water withdrawals are predicted to increase by 50 percent by 2025
in developing countries, and 18 per cent in developed countries. By 2025, 800 million people
will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world
population could be under stress conditions.

In UK, while average household water use is around 150 litres per person per day, UK
consumption of products from other countries means that each English citizen effectively
soaks up a staggering 4,645 litres of the worlds water every day. Even if this massive
amount seems important in itself, the critical issue is where this virtual water comes from. In
the case of the UK, about 62% of the total national water footprint is accounted for by water
from other nations, whereas only 38% is used from domestic water resources. In other words,
UK consumption of food and clothing has an impact on rivers and aquifers both globally and
in the UK and is inextricably linked to the continuing security and good management of
water resources in other parts of the world. It also has an impact on local communities who
rely on the water and other services that are provided by such ecosystems.

Based on those facts, we should begin to use water prudently. We can start from
saving water in the house. As a consumer, we can reduce our direct water footprint (home
water use) by installing water saving toilets, applying a water-saving showerhead, closing the
tap during teeth brushing, using less water in the garden and by not disposing medicines,
paints or other pollutants through the sink. For the environment, avoid planting grass or trees
in an area which is hard to absorb water, such as steep inclines and isolated strips along
sidewalks and driveways. Other way, when you cut trees, leave lower branches on trees and
shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces
evaporation.

Freshwater is ours to use whenever we need, but we cannot waste it. Water is too
valuable for our live sustainability. Remember that a little effort and a little common sense
make a big differences. By following the ideas about saving water, we can save thousands of
gallons every year in every household and we will not run out of water in the near future.