Today, public opinion is slowly growing aware of the world water crisis that has taken over almost every continent of the globe. Water scarcity is no longer an issue that concerns solely developing countries or the African continent.  Wealthy countries such as the United States or Australia are now facing threats such as water scarcity, draughts or water pollution. While mass media are advertising the importance of water conservation and encouraging an eco-green habit even when it comes to the daily house chores; most of us haven’t realized that producing things such as paper or clothes also uses a tremendous quantity of water. Indeed, each and everyone of us has their own water footprint, an indicator of water use that calculates both the direct and indirect use of water.

In order to better comprehend issues like water shortage or water pollution, it is fundamentall to consider production processes since water problems are often connected to a country’s economy. Faced with a serious water crisis, countries like Australia try to monitor national water plans in order to reduce water consumption as much as possible while still providing the needed water supply for the survival and well-being of the population. Before trying to elaborate a plan in order to control or change the water demand amongst the population, state officials should start by looking at the essence of the actual demand. For this reason, “national water use statistics should be extended in order to include full national water footprint accounts since this broadens the basis for the formulation of a national water plan” (Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/NationalWaterFootprint). In order for a national water project to be sustainable on the long term, a government needs to establish coherent national policies in all sectors involve. For instance, it is useless to establish a water plan it agriculture policies are not modified to respect the same coherent direction.

The water footprint of a nation can be defined as the total amount of water used to produce the goods and services consumed by the population of that nation. Considering that many goods that are consumed in a country are produced abroad, the water footprint of a nation is made out of the internal water footprint (water used inside the country) and the external water footprint (water used to produce a good abroad). In addition, there are three categories that can be found in a nation’s water footprint. The first is the blue water footprint, “the volume of freshwater that evaporated from the global blue water resources”. Second comes the green water footprint, “the volume of freshwater evaporate from the global green water resources (rainwater)” and finally the grey water foot print, “the volume of polluted water, calculated as the volume that is required to dilute pollutants to such an extent that the quality of the water remains about agreed water quality standards” (Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/NationalWaterAccountingFramework). Governments need to start by reducing the water footprint of their own structures and offices, in order to demonstrate the good example, so they can later work closely with industries in order to promote transparency and the need to raise social awareness amongst citizens.

Professor and expert, tell us that the  water footprint indicator permits “the attention to shift to the role of consumers and large food processors and retailers that process and sell final consumer goods” (Source: http://www.exploringgeopolitics.org/Interview_Hoekstra_Arjen_Virtual_Water_National_Footprints_Global_Economy_Value_Price_Pollution_Depletion_Management_Environment_Intensive_Exports_Imports.html). He puts the emphasis on the fact that each individual consumer and every company can have a tremendous impact on problems such as water depletion or pollution. He also reminds us that American citizens should make the biggest effort since the USA has the largest national footprint, per head it is double the world average! The main reason is due to the fact that Americans consume a lot of highly water-intensive goods, like meat. On the contrary, developing countries have a high water footprint not due to their large water consumption but because their agriculture methods are tremendously inefficient leading to a great waste of water.

So far, except for various debates and propositions, water remains a public resource, without any real market rules to establish trade price. Yet, it is important not to take it for granted because even if it seems endless and accessible water does have a very high value.  Treating water like it has no value leads to scarcity and other serious problems. Establishing a national water footprint is only the first step towards a more responsible and self-conscious attitude. The first step towards putting an end to the most avoidable natural crisis we could face.