Water is one of the world’s most precious – and lucrative – resources, and now preserving our “blue gold” just got easier thanks to a new ISO International Standard.

ISO 14046, Environmental management – Water footprint – Principles, requirements and guidelines, will allow all kinds of organizations, from industry to government and NGOs, the means to measure their “water footprint,” or their potential environmental impact of water use and pollution.

Developed by experts from all over the world, the standard is based on a life-cycle assessment and can assist in:

•     assessing the magnitude of potential environmental impacts related to water
•     identifying ways to reduce those impacts
•     facilitating water efficiency and optimization of water management at product, process and organizational levels
•     providing scientifically consistent and reliable information for reporting water footprint results that can be tracked over time

In addition, it includes geographical and temporal dimensions and identifies the quantity of water used and changes in water quality.

Sustainability is a key priority for governments and businesses alike, and the ability to accurately assess a water footprint is a vital step towards this goal.

Release Date: July 31, 2014
Source: ISO