The Water Footprint Assessment Tool is a free, web-based platform developed by the Water Footprint Network in collaboration with Water Footprint Implementation. It applies the Global Water Footprint Standard and draws on the WaterStat database to provide robust, comparable results. The tool allows users to assess and map water use across geographies, facilities, products and supply chains. Finance professionals can use it to evaluate water-related risks, efficiency opportunities and sustainability performance.

Organisation behind the tool

The Water Footprint Assessment Tool was developed and is maintained by the Water Footprint Network, in partnership with Water Footprint Implementation.

What the tool does

• Provides geographic assessments of water use at basin or regional level, enabling evaluation of sustainability and identification of opportunities for reduction or efficiency improvement.
• Supports production assessments of facilities, products and supply chains, quantifying water use directly and indirectly, mapping results, and suggesting improvement strategies.
• Measures and reports on blue, green and grey water footprints in line with recognised international methodologies.
• Integrates the Global Water Footprint Standard and the WaterStat global water footprint database, ensuring results are robust and comparable.
• Offers functionality to explore different scenarios (e.g. alternative sourcing or production methods) to evaluate potential risk mitigation strategies.

Target audience

• Companies and businesses managing operations or supply chains.
• Governments and policy makers concerned with water allocation and sustainability.
• NGOs and consultants working on water-related issues.
• Investors and researchers seeking reliable water-use data for analysis and reporting.

Relevance to finance professionals

• Risk evaluation – Identifies water-related risks in operations or supply chains, including regulatory, reputational and operational exposures.
• Efficiency and cost insights – Highlights inefficiencies in water use, supporting cost-saving strategies and more effective resource allocation.
• ESG and sustainability reporting – Provides outputs grounded in international standards, supporting environmental disclosures and alignment with sustainable finance frameworks.
• Strategic allocation – Basin-level insights reveal watershed stress points, aiding investors and lenders in assessing resilience and sustainability of assets or portfolios.
• Scenario analysis – Allows testing of alternative sourcing or production approaches to evaluate mitigation strategies and strengthen long-term investment planning.