Total Water Footprint: An Analysis of the Level of Environmental Sustainability in the Taperoá River Sub-basin Located in the State of Paraíba, Brazil

The present research had as main objective to analyze the level of environmental sustainability in the sub-basin of the Taperoá River, located in the semi-arid region of Paraiba. In this perspective, it is necessary to calculate the total water footprint considering the blue, green and gray components of the main water using sectors. The model used to calculate this multidimensional indicator in a given region is described in the Water Footprint Manual. According to the results, it was evident that irrigated agriculture and sanitation are the sectors that exert the greatest pressure on the water resources of the sub-basin studied. Furthermore, the environmental sustainability of the water footprint in the sub-basin for the year 2019 presented favorable levels on an annual scale, but between the months of May and November, the subbasin presented unsustainable scarcity and pollution indices, due to the decrease in natural flows, caused mainly by the irregularity of rainfall in the region. Therefore, the mapping of the water footprint and its sustainability in the sub-basin of the Taperoá River PB, may subsidize the public manager in an accurate decision-making and consequently promote the strengthening of the Water Resources Management System that seeks sustainable governance.