Water Audit — Self, Statutory & Comprehensive

A Water Audit is a systematic evaluation of an organisation's water consumption, water sources, internal distribution, losses, treatment, reuse, and discharge — providing a complete picture of how water moves through the organisation's operations and where opportunities exist to reduce consumption, improve efficiency, and manage water-related risk. Water audits are conducted at three levels — a self-audit provides a quick internal assessment of water consumption patterns and obvious inefficiencies; a statutory water audit meets regulatory requirements for specific categories of facilities under applicable environmental regulations; and a comprehensive water audit involves detailed measurement, balance calculations, water quality assessment, and a full evaluation of water management practices against applicable standards and best practice benchmarks.

Water risk is an increasingly material ESG consideration — with institutional investors, development finance institutions, and sustainability reporting frameworks all requiring organisations to assess and disclose their water impacts and dependencies. A comprehensive water audit provides the data and analysis needed to meet these requirements and implement meaningful water stewardship programmes.