Veolia Water North America has published a white paper, titled The Water Impact Index and the First Carbon-Water Analysis of a Major Metropolitan Water Cycle, which details a new methodology for measuring the impact of human activity on water resources and establishing the positive and negative implications of how water resources are managed.

In an effort to increase water awareness and support more informed, sustainable decision-making, the company announced the paper’s publication during the International Water Association’s (IWA) World Water Congress and Exhibition.

The paper describes the growing concern over water scarcity, as projected population and economic growth levels over the next three decades will put significant stress on local water resources around the planet. It details Veolia Water’s Water Impact Index, which expands on existing volume-based water measurement tools by incorporating multiple factors including consumption, resource stress and water quality. The paper also notes how the Water Impact Index, the first indicator of its kind, was used in a company study that is believed to be the first-ever simultaneous analysis of water and carbon on a major metropolitan area’s water cycle.

“Public authorities, citizens and industries must all work together to ensure the sustainable future of our local water resources,” said Laurent Auguste, President and CEO of Veolia Water Americas. “Richer and more robust data is required for building the necessary solutions and this white paper shares how a better understanding of water resources and human activities can help offset our collective environmental impact.”

Veolia Water is a sponsor of the IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition. The paper can be found on the company’s home page: http://www.veoliawaterna.com/