National Water Footprint: Toward a Comprehensive Approach for the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Water Use in Italy

Abstract

Abstract:The aim of this study is to monitor the water use over the national territory and evaluate water flows by economic sectors across regional boundaries. The sustainability level is evaluated in terms of water scarcity (the ratio between water consumption and water availability). Publicly-available geo-referenced maps containing the annual average volume of available and consumed water for different economic activities, pollution loads, and land cover are elaborated with geographic information system (GIS) software. Different administrative and geographic boundaries (regional, river basin, and hydrogeological complex) are used to produce a statistical overview of the sustainability level in water use over the Italian territory. Water footprint indicators are set up for the blue and grey components, while the sustainability of the green component is preliminarily evaluated from land use. The effective impact on the water resource is assessed in terms of water scarcity for all the three components. Water availability data refer to annual average computed between 1990 and 2010. Water consumption and land cover refer to reference year 2006. Results are shown as annual averages and they are used to establish a baseline of the national water use that is expected to be particularly relevant for next-coming analyses, including virtual water flows associated to import/export activities and trending reports for future periods.

Assessing Green and Blue Water Footprints in the Supply Chain of Cocoa Production: A Case Study in the Northeast of Colombia

“…"The 'green' crop water use represents the total rainwater evaporated from the field during the growing period; the 'blue' crop water use represents the total irrigation water evaporated from the field" [21]:…”

“…Losses occur when water evaporates, returns to another catchment area or the sea or is incorporated into a product. The green WF refers to consumption of green water resources (rainwater insofar as it does not become run-off); however, the non-consumptive part of water withdrawals (the return flow) is not part of the WF [19][20][21]. This water fraction is usually represented by the amount of precipitated water that is consumed by the crop during its entire productive life [22].…”

Grey water footprint as a tool for wastewater treatment plant assessment– Hostivice case study

“…it is necessary to compare the value of the GWF with the amount of fresh water that could be polluted without affecting the ecosystem of the receiving water body). Bonamente et al (2017) consider this value at the level of 80% of the total run-off from the river basin. However, a more detailed solution based on knowledge of the current pollution flowing from the river basin and the watercourse flow rate at the point of WWTP discharge is more appropriate for solving the sustainability of wastewater discharges from a specific WWTP.…”

Assessment Of Water Foot Print For Sustainable Use Of Water In University Of Gujrat, Pakistan

“…By stabilizing the LWF of all consumers throughout the world to manage water needs of the expected population. Bonamente et al (2017) described the water use of a nation scoping its economic dependency. They considered water sustainability level by its utility and availability ratio.…”