The purpose of this manual is to serve as a methodological guide for water footprint assessments according to the requirements of ISO 14046

The Aplicación Manual for Water Footprint Assessment in accordance with ISO 14046 is a product of the SuizAgua Andina project (2013 – 2015), which was an alliance between the Swiss government, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the private sector in Chile and Peru. SuizAgua promotes water footprint  measurement and reduction, develops corporate social and encironmental responsibility plans focused on the issue of water resources and disseminates new information, and further project developments.

The manual serves as a methodological guide for water footprint assessment in accordance with ISO 14046 requisites (Environmental management – Water footprint – Principles, requirements and guidelines). It was written based on the practical experience of the Fundación Chile and Agualimpia technical team, which is in charge of implementing the SuizAgua Andina project, in conducting water footprint assessments for 10 companies from various sectors (food, construction, energy, chemicals and retail). The manual’s content is not the result of a committee of experts and is not the official guide to ISO 140466, but it does offer a good foundation for applying it.

The manual is for the technical staff of companies, consultants and students who want to assess the water footprint of a product, process or industry in accordance with ISO 14046. It presents the main steps and methods of calculation to be followed for conducting a water footprint assessment, and includes lessons learned from SuizAgua Andina’s practical experience. It has three sections: i) introduction; ii) calculation methodology;  iii) a practical exercise.

Document: Application Manual for Water Footprint Assessment in accordance with ISO 14046 (PDF only Spanish)