Water footprint of ready-mixed concrete: Case of Niğde

Diversification of human needs, population growth and technological developments cause deteriorations in the quantity and quality of water, leading to the threat of water scarcity. Ready-mixed concrete is an important material for the construction industry, which has been developing rapidly in recent years. The purpose of this study is to determine the water footprint resulting from ready-mixed concrete production in the Niğde example. Taking into account the life cycle of ready-mixed concrete, the direct and indirect water footprint from cradle to door was calculated. Mixer washing, concrete plant washing, dust suppression, garden washing and personnel use arising from production within the scope of direct water footprint; within the scope of indirect water footprint, cement, aggregate, energy and food used in production were evaluated. The most important results are: (1) The high water consumption in concrete industry is closely related to the amount of water consumed indirectly. (2) The water footprint of ready-mix concrete is 2.238 m3/m3, of which 0.217 m3/m3 is a direct water footprint and 2.021 m3/m3 is an indirect water footprint. (3) The water footprint of aggregate reaches the highest water footprint of 1.125 m3/m3 compared to other activities. It is followed by cement with a water footprint of 0.573 m3/m3. (4) Personnel food and energy also contribute to the water footprint at the rate of 0.292 m3/m3 and 0.0308 m3/m3 respectively.