Presented by:

Engr. Geoffrey L. Cueto, EnP.

Prepared by:
Mark Mulingbayan, BS CE, MS EnE
Series of 2015
Outline of Presentation

 Human Activities and Impacts on the Environment

 Footprints
 Virtual Water and the Water Footprint
 Product
 Consumer
 Calculating your Water Footprint
 Reducing your Water Footprint
 Infrastructure change
 Behavior change
 Environmental Impact of Humans

 Humans and their activities on earth

have great environmental impact,
individually and as a group.

 Environmental Impacts from:

 RESOURCE UTILIZATION
 WASTES GENERATION
 Resource Utilization and Wastes Generation

Forests Wood for paper, fuel, furniture

Rivers, lakes, Drinking water, irrigation, Air emissions

groundwater industrial production
Wastewater
Aquatic life Food
Solid waste
Ecosystems Living space, agriculture
Hazardous waste
Mineral
Fossil fuels, metal ores
deposits
 Total Environmental Impact

Total Impact = Lifestyle × Technology × Population

“There are three key factors…

[The first two are] the level of consumption…[and] the technology needed
to satisfy that consumption, and dispose of the waste generated. These
two factors decide how much environmental damage is done per person.
Multiply by the third factor, population, and you arrive at the total level of
damage.”
Paul Harrison
New Scientist
19 May 1990
 Ecological Footprint

 How much land is required to sustain someone at the top of the food chain?
 Ecological Footprint

 How many Earths are required to sustain your lifestyle?

Ecological Footprint
 Carbon Footprint

 How much greenhouse gas emissions is due to your existence?

Greenhouse Gas Accounting
 Virtual Water

 ‘Virtual’ refers to the fact that most of the water used to produce a
product is not contained in the product.
 The real-water content of products is generally negligible if
compared to the virtual-water content.
 Water Footprint

 empirical indicator of how much water is consumed, when

and where, measured over the whole supply chain of the
product.

 A multidimensional indicator, showing volumes but also

making explicit the type of water use (evaporation of
rainwater, surface water or groundwater, or pollution of
water) and the location and timing of water use.
 How is water footprint expressed?

 Water footprint of a consumer or business is expressed as volume

per unit of time
 Water volume per capita per year
 Water volume per unit of money (e.g. profit) per year

 Water footprint of a product is always expressed as water volume

per product unit
 Water volume per unit of mass (e.g. rice)
 Water volume per piece (e.g. fruit)
 Water volume per unit of energy (e.g. fuels or food kcal)
 Types of Water Use

 GREEN water footprint

 Volume of rainwater evaporated

 BLUE water footprint

 Volume of surface or groundwater evaporated

 GREY water footprint

 polluted water associated with production or consumption
 (measured as the freshwater required to dilute the polluted water
to attain the desired quality in water bodies)
 Components of a Water Footprint

Direct water footprint Indirect water footprint

consumption
Green water footprint Green water footprint

Water
Non-consumptive water
use (return flow)
Blue water footprint Blue water footprint

pollution
Water
Grey water footprint Grey water footprint
The traditional
statistics
on water use

[Hoekstra, 2008]
Water Footprint of Crops and Products
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
[Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008]
Water footprint of biofuels from different crops
(liter of water per liter of fuel)

[Gerbens-Leenes, Hoekstra & Van der Meer, 2009]

 A Nation’s Water Footprint

 Some nations consume more virtual water even if they don’t extract their own
water resources extensively

National Water Footprint = national water use + virtual water import – virtual water export
Regional Water Balances
Calculating your water footprint
Components of the Water Footprint of a Business
A Business’ Water Footprint
 The Virtual Water Chain

Virtual Virtual Virtual

water water water
flow Food flow flow
Farmer processer Retailer Consumer

green grey blue grey blue grey blue grey

and water water water water water water water
blue use use use
water
use

[Hoekstra, 2008]
 Water Footprint of a Food Processor

Virtual Virtual Virtual

water water water
flow Food flow flow
Farmer processer Retailer Consumer

green grey blue grey blue grey blue grey

and water water water water water water water
blue use use use
water
use

Supply chain WF Operational WF End-use WF of a product

The traditional statistics

on corporate water use

[Hoekstra, 2008]
 Water Footprint of a Retailer

Virtual Virtual Virtual

water water water
flow Food flow flow
Farmer processer Retailer Consumer

green grey blue grey blue grey blue grey

and water water water water water water water
blue use use use
water
use

Supply chain WF Operational WF End-use WF of a

product

The traditional statistics

on corporate water use

[Hoekstra, 2008]
 Water Footprint of a Consumer

Virtual Virtual Virtual

water water water
flow Food flow flow
Farmer processer Retailer Consumer

green grey blue grey blue grey blue grey

and water water water water water water water
blue use use use
water
use

Indirect WF Direct WF

[Hoekstra, 2008]
Consumer’s Water Footprint Calculator
Reducing your water footprint
 WATER CONSERVATION

 The protection, development, and efficient

management of water resources for beneficial purposes

 Main Goal: reduce water extracted from nature

 WATER EFFICIENCY

 the accomplishment of a function, task, process or result

with the minimal amount of water feasible

 indicator of the relationships between the amount of

water needed for a specific purpose and the amount of
water used, occupied or delivered

 Main Goal: reduce water wasted, NOT restrict its use

 Water Efficiency is a TOOL of Water Conservation

 HOW TO REDUCE YOUR WATER FOOTPRINT

 INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES
 Water-efficient fixtures, appliances, amenities in the home and
workplace

 BEHAVIOR CHANGES
 Buy local products, or source the products from areas with less water
scarcity
 Be conscious of the water you consume
 Water Efficiency vs. Water Conservation
Automatic shutoff valves
Aerators for faucets and shower heads

‘Wetting Capacity’ improves

with aerators
Sprinklers vs drip irrigation
Waterless urinal
Urine diversion toilets
 Probably a better system for Southeast Asians
who like to ‘wash’ instead of ‘wipe’

Main toilet bowl for urination

For anal cleansing
and defecation
Dual Flush / Low Flush Toilet
Low flow toilet
Crazy ideas?
 Best Practice in Payatas

 Taking a bath while standing on a batya.

 The soapy water collected in the batya is used for washing clothes.

 The used washwater is then used for toilet flushing.

Water used thrice.

THIS IS CALLED WATER EFFICIENCY!
 Reuse Water

 Do we really need to use potable water for:

 Flushing?
 Landscape irrigation?
 Car wash?

 Reuse water from treated sewage (black or greywater)

if a sewage treatment facility is nearby
Wastewater reuse in the home
Wastewater garden
Wastewater garden examples in the Phils
Reuse for agriculture
Community based reuse with constructed wetlands

Elevated reuse storage for

agriculture, construction &
firefighting
 SUSTAINABILITY CHECK!

We may save on water, but what is it like on the energy aspect?

 Are dishwashers environment friendly if the water needs to be

pre-heated?

 Will the concentrated sewage from no-flush/waterless systems

require less energy to treat?

 Is reusing treated wastewater environment-friendly if you need to

pump the water afterwards?
Brushing teeth

Why leave the tap running all the time?

Timba-at-tabo vs. shower vs. bathtub?

How much water do you need to take a bath?

Manual vs automated dishwashing
Manual laundry vs. washing machine?
Hose & Walis Tingting vs. Pressure Washer?
Bucket and sponge car wash or water hose?
Displacement method
Are you a washer or a wiper?

What is the virtual water content

of toilet paper?
 Other ways of reducing your water footprint

 Eat local food. Eat less meat.

 Choose house plants appropriate for your location/climate.

 Be aware of leaks in the home and fix them immediately.

 Buy less stuff. Recycle.

 Know the source of your water. Getting water from surface water
sources is more sustainable than from groundwater.
For more info: www.waterfootprint.org
For more info: www.waterfootprint.org
Thank you.