Water Footprints 101

Water Footprints 101

Ready to explore Water Footprints 101 and learn more about your direct and virtual water use? 
Learn about how your choices and habits affect your water use inside and outside of your home, through the food you eat, the products you buy and even the energy you use. And find out how (and why) we created our Water Footprint Calculator.
3 water drops (blue, green and grey) from the home page

What is a Water Footprint?

Learn more about how we define and calculate water footprints, direct and virtual water use and water accounting. Read more

burger

Water in Your Food

What you eat makes up at least one-half of your total water footprint, thanks to the large volume of “virtual water” needed to grow and produce your food. Read more

toilet

Water Use Around the House

Average daily indoor water use in the US is around 60 gallons per person per day. Learn where your water comes from, how it got to you and how you can waste as little as possible. Read more

sprinkler and grass

Water Use Outdoors

In the US, almost a quarter of residential water is used for lawns, gardens and pools – and in some places it’s as much as three-quarters. Learn more about outdoor water use and how to be more efficient. Read more

power plant

Water to Make Energy

It takes a lot of water to create energy in the form of electricity and fuel, and it takes a lot of energy to move, heat and treat water. Saving energy saves water, and vice versa. Read more

shopping cart full of things

Water in the Things You Buy

Millions of gallons of water go into the products you buy, use and throw away. Read more

weather graphic

Climate & Environment

Learn about how water, climate and the environment interact and impact each other. Read more

Venn diagram from The Nexus Guide

Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Learn more about how water, energy and food are all interconnected. Read more