The researchers studied water usage in Hebei Province from 1995 to 2008. They calculated water footprints for different areas to see how much water is needed to produce goods and services. They looked at factors like water scarcity, self-sufficiency, and how efficiently water is used. The results showed that in general, the amount of water used was increasing, but the efficiency of water use was getting better. Different regions in Hebei had varying patterns of water consumption, scarcity, and self-sufficiency. The study also found that some areas were importing or exporting water through trade.