the assessment of total water use in connection to consumption can be approached from both ends of the supply chain. the water footprint of production estimates how much water from local sources is used or polluted in order to provide the goods and services produced in that country. the water footprint of consumption of a country looks at the amount of water used or polluted (locally, or in the case of imported goods, in other countries) in connection with all the goods and services that are consumed by the inhabitants of that country. the water footprint of production and that of consumption, can also be estimated for any administrative unit such as a city, province, river basin or the entire world.