The point where you start ...
Published by Henk Coetzee, Specialist Scientist, Geophysicist in the Environmental Geoscience Unit, Council for Geoscience
The point where you start should be your water account. This should give you the volume consumed on site. But that's only the start and doesn't break things up enough to actually change anything. I've been working with mines who have recently had to reduce their water consumption (not footprint) in the face of a severe drought in South Africa. What they have found to be most effective has been the installation of meters within their operation, as a way of measuring consumption in various parts of their operation, often with surprising findings.
That's the first part. Looking at the supply-chain footprint is a lot more difficult. I imagine that we will eventually reach a point where the water, carbon and other environmental footprints are available for all the products we consume, but we're a long way off there. To make matters worse, the companies who do have this information and make it available are generally the large multinationals, so requiring this information can stifle local economic development. Nevertheless, there are available databases containing this type of information, either as footprints or as inputs into life-cycle assessment. These generally have international as well as some national information, which may help. It's a very big job in an organisation with a complex supply chain.
That's the first part. Looking at the supply-chain footprint is a lot more difficult. I imagine that we will eventually reach a point where the water, carbon and other environmental footprints are available for all the products we consume, but we're a long way off there. To make matters worse, the companies who do have this information and make it available are generally the large multinationals, so requiring this information can stifle local economic development. Nevertheless, there are available databases containing this type of information, either as footprints or as inputs into life-cycle assessment. These generally have international as well as some national information, which may help. It's a very big job in an organisation with a complex supply chain.