ISO 14046 Water footprint – Principles, requirements and guidelines

Water use and management is a key consideration for any organisation in light of growing demand for resources and increasing water scarcity. Water management is required at local, regional and global levels – and this also requires a consistent assessment technique. ISO 14046 is the new standard for water footprinting that will provide this consistency and give water footprint results credibility.

This is the international standard that will specify the principles, requirements and guidelines of assessing and reporting water footprints. This will apply to products, processes and organisations based on life cycle assessments. ISO 14046 will provide requirements and guidance for calculating and reporting a water footprint as a standalone assessment – or as part of a wider environmental assessment.  

A water footprint is a way of assessing potential environmental impacts related to water. And ISO 14046 gives you the option to assess your water footprint as a standalone study where only the impacts relating to water are considered. It also allows you to consider this as part of a life cycle assessment where all environmental impacts are considered.

• Assess and prepare for the future risks to your water use
• Identify ways to reduce the environmental impacts of your water use
• Improve efficiency at product, process and organisational levels
• Share knowledge and best practice with industry and government
• Meet customer expectations of increased environmental responsibility