Pegada hídrica do Hospital Universitário da UFGD

Abstract

The Water Footprint is a multidimensional indicator of the appropriation of freshwater resources, expressed in volume of consumption and water pollution, which divides the use of water into three distinct sources: the blue water footprint (surface water and groundwater), the green water footprint (evapotranspiration of plants) and the gray water footprint (contamination by pollution), and which considers direct (operational) and indirect (supply chain) use in relation to water consumption for the supply of goods and services. The objective of this work is to analyze the water footprint of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Grande Dourados (HU-UFGD), using Hospital Hotel service as a reference, in the provision of hospital beds. applying the methodology developed by the Water FootPrint Network (WFN). In order to carry out this work, the products used in Hospital Hotel service associated to food, clothing and hygiene were analyzed, as well as the consumption of water and electricity by HU-UFGD in the year 2017. As a result, it was verified that the Water Footprint of the HU-UFGD from the perspective of Hospital Hotel service was 1.89 billion liters of water/year and 28 thousand liters of water/bed per day, 47% of this value associated with the supply chain; 46% to the additional water footprint and 7% to the operational water footprint. Regarding the type of the composition of the water footprint, it was pointed out that 43.5% is related to the consumption of blue water; 47.8% to green water consumption and 8.7% to gray water. Increased interest in water footprint studies has led to the application of the concept in the most diverse approaches, be it on industrialized products, companies, consumers or countries, assisting in sustainability strategies both in the reduction of direct water consumption and in public policy practices, related to the management of hydrographic basins and the understanding of the indirect use of water resources, intricate in the chain of production and supply of the organizations. It was identified in this study that 15% of the green water footprint, 11% of the blue water footprint and 73% of the gray water footprint could be reduced or avoided. As mitigating measures, the adoption of actions to reduce food waste, reduce waste of water and electricity, and recycle and reuse of water, rainwater harvesting and use of sunlight were suggested.