With the installation 'Indirect Invisible Water', Studio Makkink & Bey, Carla Herrewijnen and Studio Corvers take you into the invisible and unimaginable world of our actual water use. The installation is commissioned by WaterSchool, with thanks to Gemeente Rotterdam.
Direct and indirect water use
‘Direct water' is the water that everyone uses on a daily basis in and around the house: to shower, wash, and flush the toilet, for instance. This water is produced in the Netherlands and its consumption is visible and measurable.
‘Indirect water', on the other hand, is more or less invisible. You consume it as a consumer of products that require water during the production cycle, products that usually come from outside the Netherlands. The production of one kilogram of chocolate, for example, requires more than 17,000 liters of water. The average Dutch person has a considerable water footprint and consumes almost twice as much water as the average world citizen.
Water awareness
The installation INdirectly INvisible WATER, which can be seen at the Embassy of Water in Designhuis, wants to increase the awareness of water, especially when it comes to our indirect use of it. The makers will give a workshop on a daily basis. Participants can measure their personal water footprint, analyze which 'type' of water that footprint is made up of, and discuss the various courses of action.