Water Footprint

Apples

Blue WF 762.1

Green WF 68.0

Grey WF 0.0

Total WF per l/kg product) 830.2

Pears

Blue WF 762.1

Green WF 56.7

Grey WF 0.0

Total WF per l/kg product) 818.8

Explanation
The results of the study show the water footprint of one kilogram product upon its arrival on European retail shelves.
Water footprint is calculated in line with the Water Footprint Network methodology. The base of the water footprint concept and the methodology has been established by Prof. Dr. Arjen Hoekstra at UNESCO-IHE and further developed at the University of Twente (the Netherlands). The concept and methods have been recognized in scientific literature.
According to the methodology, the water footprint takes into account volume of freshwater evaporated from the global blue water resources (blue water footprint), volume of water evaporated from rainwater stored in the soil as soil moisture (green water footprint), and volume of polluted water related to all goods and services for the individual or community (grey water footprint).
Water use is measured in terms of water volumes consumed (evaporated or otherwise not returned) and/or polluted per unit of time (Water Footprint Network, 2009).
This water footprint study considers blue, green and grey water footprints from farm level, up to European retailers. Only direct water footprint was taken into account, this means that water use related to the generation of electricity and the production of input materials was excluded.

Data regarding yields and water usage practices for the season/year of 2008 are obtained from growers and suppliers of Eosta.
The green water footprint can be defined as volume of water evaporated from rainwater stored in the soil as soil moisture. This part of the total footprint depends on local climate conditions, characteristics of the crop and soil. For the purpose of this study, monthly climate data are attained from the closest local meteorological stations or from CLIMWAT, the climatic database developed by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Data regarding crop characteristics are used from different sources, recommended by the methodology; data about the yields (for the season of 2008) are obtained from the growers.
Blue water footprint is volume of freshwater evaporated from the global blue water resources. For this study, the water usage practices were inventoried through assessment questionnaires among farmers and suppliers of Eosta.
The grey water footprint is defined as the volume of freshwater that is required to assimilate the load of pollutants based on existing ambient water quality standards. For the calculation of grey water footprint, fertilization, plant protection material application, and waste water quality were inventoried through assessment questionnaires among farmers and suppliers. On the farm level, grey water is calculated via nitrogen leaching from applied fertilizers. For the calculation, for compost and compost-based fertilizers, the following nitrogen leaching rates are used: 0% in case when less than 50 tons of compost per hectare is applied and 10% in case when more than 50 tons of compost applied.

The water footprint study was carried out by Soil & More International BV. and its representative Nataša Sikirica.
www.soilandmore.com