There are fresh calls for New Zealanders to reduce meat our consumption to save water.

A study published in Nature Sustainability shows vegetarian or pescatarian diets could reduce a country's water footprint by up to half.

Researchers say water security is a growing issue and it's time to act now.

Lead author Davy Vanham told Kate Hawkesby there's a lot of competition for different uses of water, not only for agriculture, meat and drinking.

"For energy production and so on and in different regions in the world we have already have high levels of water stress and water scarcity which are very problematic."

He says there are multiple ways you can convince people to have a different diet.

"For example fiscal measures where you tax products or you give subsidies to certain healthy products. You can look at store layouts."

Vanham says marketing, availability and education could also be used.

LISTEN ABOVE AS DAVY VANHAM SPEAKS WITH KATE HAWKESBY