CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

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1 CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING 3 Committees Water Resources and Uses Background Conclusions Recommendations Committee of Environmental and Public Works Barbara Boxer, Chairman Committee of Natural Resources Jeff Bingaman,, chairman. Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Tom Harkin,, Chairman. Agriculture begins where crops are grown, livestock are raised, and fiber crops such as cotton are harvested and prepared for what will become your next meal, or your new shirt or jeans

2 PROBLEM Value of goods does not include the real cost of water nor the environmental consequences. Information is not easy to understand and not all is peer-reviewed. reviewed. PURPOSE Consider water policies according to the real water value for the well-being of the world. Educate people with scientific bases and clear information to create awareness. BACKGROUND Virtual Water Concept Water Footprint Concept National Water Footprints

3 Virtual Water Concept It is the hidden or embodied value in each product. A glass of milk. Content: Example A glass of milk. Example Content: Water 87.3% Milk fats 3.9% Non-fat Solids 8.8%

4 A glass of milk. Example Water 87.3% Milk fats 3.9% Non-fat Solids 8.8% Virtual Water Concept 1 glass of milk = = Virtual Water Concept 1 glass of milk = 1000 glasses of water =

5 Concept 1 glass of milk = 1000 glasses of water Other examples Virtual Water for Beef

6 Virtual Water for Beef Type of operations Sanitation, animal waste-disposal systems, and incidental water losses Washing, watering facilities, animals and products. Feeding Beef Feeding Beef

7 Diet formulation Beef Drinking water Beef Total Water Footprint Virtual Water to produce a Kg of meat is 10,000 L to 16,000 L in Average over the world.

8 Water Footprint Concept A tool to estimate the virtual value of water in relation to consumption of people of the country. The results can help to: Promote better trade of goods/products that require less or more water according to the availability of water in countries. The global average is ~3,500 L/person/day U.S 7,000 China 2,000 Japan 3,200 India 2,684

9 Major Factors Consumption rates and volumes Industrial Domestic Agriculture Consumption pattern (diet) Climate (growth conditions) Management systems (water use efficiency) Major Factors US 300 Million China and India Billion Japan 130 Million U.S. and World Population Clocks POPClocks National Water Footprints Footprints that falls inside the country called internal footprints (domestic water resources) Footprints that presses on other countries in called external footprints (foreign water resources)

10 CHINA Water Footprints Trade 7% INTERNAL 35% EXTERNAL 80% are Agricultural Footprints JAPAN 93% U.S. 65% 18% 82% % of Water Exported/Imported % OF WATER EXPORTED US 9 Canada France Australia, China, Germany, Brazil Netherlands, Argentina, Russia Thailand, India, Belgium % of Water Exported/Imported % OF WATER IMPORTED US Germany, Japan Italy France, Netherlands UK, China Mexico, Belgium Russia, Spain, Korea Rep. Canada Indonesia

11 % of Water Exported/Imported % OF WATER EXPORTED US 9 Canada France Australia, China, Germany, Brasil Netherlands, Argentina, Russia Thailand, India, Belgium % OF WATER IMPORTED US Germany, Japan Italy France, Netherlands UK, China Mexico, Belgium Russia, Spain, Korea Rep. Canada Indonesia Cotton Consumption Chapagain et al Crop Production Volume of water / tons of crop yield. Effective rainfall +Irrigation water (using FAO) To estimate the most appropriate climatic stations and irrigation requirements per country.

12 Cotton Consumption Rainfall + Irrigation / tons of crop yield Trillion L / 54.4 Million tons = 3,644,113 L / Ton of cotton seed Cotton Consumption Rainfall + Irrigation / tons of crop yield Trillion L / 54.4 Million tons = 3,644,113 L / Ton of cotton seed 3,644 L / Kg of cotton seed Processing of cotton products Kg of primary crop needed to produce 1 kg of product needed + Water needed per kg in bleaching (30 L)+ dying(140 L) + printing (190 L) + finishing (140 L) L / kg of cotton products

13 Other considerations + the volumes of nutrients (N, P) + pesticides that leach out of the plant root zone. 60% of these goes to the crop and 40% goes to groundwater. Water needed to dilute pollution per production stage according to EPA standard recommendations. Other considerations Total volume of domestic water + total volume of external water used in the crop. 1 pair of jeans 10,850 L 1 T-shirt T 9,750 L Domestic and External Footprints 48%

14 CONCLUSION Water withdrawals might be higher because of the large quantity of products that are exported. CONCLUSION (cont) Fresh water can be regulated wisely among countries by promoting the import/export of goods according to the availability of water within the country. CONCLUSION (cont) Jordan for example, imports wheat and other products that require large quantities of water because of the scarcity of water in the country.

15 RECOMENDATIONS Scarcity and misuse from some countries will unbalance abundance and availability of water resources in other countries. Water is a worldwide topic that needs to be consider as well as Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouses that are being consider internationally. Water is the key for future negotiations among countries. Congress needs to work with countries to balance their water imports and exports through negotiations.

16 Promoting scientific research that can explain easier to public what activities use water efficiently. Help countries to negotiate and understand the concept of virtual water to benefit US and other countries when negotiating. OTHER RECOMENDATIONS Countries need to use wisely the imports and exports of water for their own sustainability for the future. Water footprints are affecting other countries and need to be regulated worldwide Demand and population growth increase footprints worldwide