Uncovering the Dynamics of Consumption-Based Household Water Footprint in Response to Pandemic: The Hysteresis Effect of Disruption

Abstract

The socioeconomic disruption of COVID-19 has strong implications for water management. However, it remains unclear how water use related to urban and rural household consumption responded to the outbreak. Taking 15 provincial regions in China for a case study, we quantified the variations of consumption-based household water footprint induced by the first outbreak of the pandemic and tracked the responsive changes of interregional virtual water flows and control relationships. We found in many regions, the most drastic change occurred only a quarter after the major outbreak, when the average water footprint of urban and rural households decreased by 13% and 9%, respectively. This indicates the presence of a hysteretic effect of disruption to household expenditures. With the subsequent recovery of household consumption, the water footprints in many regions rebounded and even surpassed the historical values. Guangdong had a fast rebound in its net virtual water inflow related to urban households because of the fast recovery of its manufacturing and services activities. The pandemic-related water footprint dynamics suggest not only the necessity of timely managing supply chains to prevent shortage of water and water-intensive products, but also the importance of fostering consumption adjustments for conserving water in a post-pandemic era.