The environmental impact of household's water use: A case study in Flanders assessing various water sources, production methods and consumption patterns

Responsible water use and sustainable consumption production are high on the agenda of multiple stakeholders. Different supply sources available, including tap water, bottled domestically harvested rainwater abstracted groundwater. The extent to which each these is used, differs over patterns in various housing types, being detached houses, semi-detached terraced houses apartments. To identify environmental impact a household's potential reduction strategies, holistic assessment required. In this paper, Flanders (Belgium) was assessed four different by means life cycle assessment. outcomes study reveal large difference between use, having global warming 259 kg CO 2 -eq.·m −3 , compared other three sources. Tap had lowest (0.17 ) resource footprint (6.51 MJ ex ·m all most efficient strategy reduce shift from consumption. This would induce an inhabitant average 80%, saving 0.1 -eq.·day −1 case groundwater-based water. These results provide insights into for can be used better frame benefits use. • influenced many factors. A performed Flanders. sources, methods were covered. dominated -eq person per day saved replacing with