Water footprint calculator
Welcome to this service for estimating your water footprint!
We will ask you to provide information about you and your household. Once you have filled in the information in the calculator, you can compare your water consumption to the average water footprint of Finnish people. We will also give you handy tips for reducing your consumption.
Basic information
Household size
persons.
Please note! When we ask for consumption figures describing your household, your response should include the total volume used by all household members. We will automatically divide the volumes you enter by the number of persons.
You will see an information button at the end of some questions. Click on this button to access further information about what is included in the consumption volume in question.
Household water consumption 1/5:
Personal hygiene
times a week..
Household water consumption 3/5:
Washing up
times a week.
times a week.
Household water consumption 4/5:
Washing clothes
times a week.
Household water consumption 5/5:
Other water consumption
litres a week.
Add a new water use
You are half way there!
Based on your responses, we estimate that your personal water consumption is approx
However, the water you use at home is only a small share of your personal water footprint. The figure above will also change if you include the other members of your household in it. To obtain a more accurate idea of your water footprint, respond to the following questions. You will also find out about the volume of water included in foodstuffs you buy, other items you purchase and the electricity you use. This water consumption is called hidden, or virtual, water.
How do you think your water consumption compares to the water use of other Finnish people? Keep going and you will find out.
Hidden water consumption 1/6:
Foodstuffs
EUR a week.
You can enter your consumption either as EUR or kilograms
Hidden water consumption 2/6:
Clothing
EUR a month.
EUR a month.
Hidden water consumption 3/6:
Household goods
Hidden water consumption 4/6:
Mobility
km a week.
EUR a month.
Hidden water consumption 5/6:
Culture and leisure time
Hidden water consumption 6/6:
Housing
Give your answer either in euros or kilowatt-hours
m2.
To conclude with, please give us some background information about yourself.
We will only use the information you provided for compiling statistics on water consumption. They will not be linked to you as a person in any way.
You have reached the finishing line!
We have now estimated both your direct water consumption at home and your hidden water use.
Calculator background information
You can use this calculator developed by the Finnish Environment Institute to work out your water footprint. The calculator can be used to examine what your water consumption consists of and estimate which share of it is direct water use and which is included in the products and services you buy. Direct water use means your water consumption at home. It consists of cooking, drinking water, washing dishes and clothes, personal hygiene as well as flushing the toilet. It also includes other water consumption at home, such as water used for cleaning, pet care or gardening as well as washing vehicles. The volume of water used for different household activities each time is based on existing water consumption studies.
The calculations of hidden water consumption, on the other hand, are based on a model known as ENVIMAT. ENVIMAT is a so-called environmentally extended input-output model that describes the relationships between natural resources use, consumption and production. The model’s input information comprises the quantities of raw materials, intermediate products, energy, transport, service use etc. that were needed to manufacture the end products. As a result, the model gives the water footprints of products: information about how much water from different sources was used to manufacture products over their entire life cycle.
Detailed and accurate data on water consumption in different production sectors in Finland, including agriculture, fisheries, the mining industry, manufacturing and the service sector, have been used in the water footprint calculator. Manufacturing includes all sectors that manufacture products, including industries producing equipment. Calculations as accurate as this cannot yet be made for imported products, which is why international datasets are used for them.