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Urban water footprint in Mashhad, Iran’s second largest city

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2024

Mahdi Kolahi Open the ORCID record for Mahdi Kolahi [Opens in a new window] ,
Zeinab Sharifi Open the ORCID record for Zeinab Sharifi [Opens in a new window] ,
Saeideh Heydari  and
Mina Ansari
Mahdi Kolahi*
Affiliation:
Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Water and Environment Research Institute, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Zeinab Sharifi
Affiliation:
Department of Rural Development Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
Saeideh Heydari
Affiliation:
Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Water and Environment Research Institute, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Mina Ansari
Affiliation:
Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Water and Environment Research Institute, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Mahdi Kolahi; Email: MahdiKolahi@um.ac.ir
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Summary

The water footprint (WF) is a metric used to quantify the total volume of fresh water consumed directly and indirectly by individuals and communities; it helps to inform responses to global challenges such as water scarcity, climate change and sustainable water management. This study assessed virtual (VWF), direct (DWF) and total (TWF) water footprints in Mashhad, Iran’s second largest city. Data collected from 382 households showed that the average individual VWF was 1314 m3 per month, the average individual DWF was 228 m3 per month and the average individual TWF was 1538 m3 per month. Additionally, key consumption patterns were identified, with rice and bread emerging as the most consumed items and vegetables as the least consumed. Over a 5-year period, direct water use declined. Significant correlations emerged between family size, annual cost and VWF and TWF, yet no association was found between age and the WFs. There were income-based disparities in VWF and TWF but no differences across education levels in terms of DWF, VWF and TWF. These findings offer crucial insights for policymakers and water authorities in formulating effective water-saving policies to address pressing environmental concerns.

Keywords

Direct water footprintnorth-eastern Irantotal water footprintvirtual water footprintwater scarcity

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , December 2024 , pp. 263 - 269
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Foundation for Environmental Conservation

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