Purpose and Use of the Forms

Water Profile Forms are provided to organize the information you collect about your organization's water uses and impacts, as well as key water sources that are affected by your water withdrawals and/or impacts. A separate Profile form should be completed for each key water use, water impact, and water source identified along the value chain. The information will be used to:

1. Help assess and prioritize the business risks associated with each use and impact (see Module 2)
2. Identify options for addressing those risks (see Module 3)

Completed forms can be used in numerous creative ways. Some ideas include:

• Use the forms in group brainstorming exercises. Post them on the walls and list risks and opportunities below them on flip chart sheets.
• Staple water use and impact profiles to the profiles of sources that they affect.
• Use the profile forms to supplement information contained in a water balance.
• Use the forms as a checklist to ensure that the organization is asking important questions about key water uses, impacts, and sources.
• Build a database based on the forms to capture and aggregate information on water uses, impacts, and sources.

Keep in mind that the overall goal is to ensure that the organization identifies and understands its connections to water throughout the value chain. In addition, the organization must gather sufficient information to identify and prioritize risks and opportunities on which the organization can act.
 

Three Types of Water Profile Forms

1) Water Use Profiles

Most companies have direct and indirect water uses to at each stage in the value chain. This profile can be used to collect information about each key water use to help identify associated opportunities and risks.

2) Water Impact Profiles

Most companies conduct some activities that can impact surfacewater and/or groundwater along the value chain. This profile can be used to collect information about each water impact, or potential impact, to help identify associated opportunities and risks.

3) Water Source Reliability Profiles

For each water use and impact identified, it is important to identify the primary sources of water relied upon and/or impacted. This profile can be used to collect information about the reliability of the source to help determine potential source vulnerabilities. This information will be used to help identify opportunities and risks associated with company water uses and impacts.
 

How to Access the Forms

The three forms have been created in Microsoft Word® and they can be individually opened by clicking on the links above, in the Resources section, or in Module 1. There are three options for accessing the forms:

Option 1: Print the forms

The forms can be printed when they are open on the screen. Tool users can make copies of the forms to use for completing profiles for individual water uses, impacts, and sources.

Option 2: Download the form and complete and save electronically

Users can download the forms by selecting File > Save As on the menu bar when the form is open on the screen. Save the forms to the appropriate directory for later retrieval and use. Users can make electronic copies of the blank forms and type profile information directly into the forms to create electronic profiles of individual water uses, impacts, and sources. Users are encouraged to modify the forms to best meet their needs and circumstances.

Option 3: Download the form and link forms to spreadsheet or database

Users may wish to manage profile information on water uses, impacts, and sources in a spreadsheet or database rather than on individual forms. The template forms contained in this tool can be used as a model for data entry forms in a database or spreadsheet tool. There are also ways to link Microsoft Word® documents and forms with other applications such as Microsoft Excel® and Microsoft Access®. Refer to the on-line Help feature of Microsoft Word® for guidance on these approaches.
 

Completing the Forms

A separate Profile form should be completed for each key water use, water impact, and water source identified along the value chain.

The questions are designed to provide sufficient information to enable the user to consider the questions in Module 2 that examine the business importance of the water uses and impacts, as well as the probability of changes occurring that could pose potential business constraints.

The user must determine the level of detail that will be most useful to meet the organization's needs. For example, only selected water uses may need characterization to make the business case or to support a particular strategic planning activity. In many cases, a simple qualitative characterization will suffice. For example, in characterizing the amount of water used, one might assign "low", "moderate", and "significant" classifications rather than attempting to obtain more specific volume information (e.g., gallons per day, acre feet). Quantitative data can be used, if available.

For high priority water uses, impacts, and sources (e.g., those associated with significant risks or opportunities), it may be appropriate for tool users to revisit the profiles and conduct additional research and analysis. More detailed profile information will often be necessary to effectively identify risks and opportunities.