The Perception and Excessive Valuation of Small, Publicized Drinking Water Risks

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-243
Author(s):  
W. Kip Viscusi ◽  
Joel Huber ◽  
Jason Bell
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
High Water ◽  
Herbicide Atrazine ◽  
Low Probability ◽  
Individual Decisions ◽  
Original Survey

AbstractLow probability risks create challenges for individual decisions and potential pressures for government regulation. This article reports original survey evidence regarding the public’s perception and valuation of water-related risks from plastic bottles with bisphenol A, residues in drinking water of the herbicide atrazine, and trace amounts of prescription drugs in water. People who believe that they face high water-related risks generally believe that the risks apply and, given that belief, are willing to pay more to limit the risk. However, the expressed willingness to pay for risk reductions is inordinately high even among those who are unsure of whether they are even exposed to the risk, and therefore may not be reliable as values for the actual benefits.

scholarly journals Responsible Precautions for Uncertain Environmental Risks

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Kip Viscusi ◽  
Joel Huber ◽  
Jason Bell
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Ambiguity Aversion ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Household Decision ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Uncertain Future

AbstractUncertain future risks pose cognitive and analytical challenges to household decision makers. Risks with uncertain probabilities, coupled with potentially severe outcomes pose problems for decision-making and are prone to overreactions. Imprecision in risk estimates generates behavioral distortions such as ambiguity aversion. This article presents new empirical results indicating household overvaluations of uncertain threats posed by several drinking water risks: traces of prescription drugs in drinking water, plastic water bottles with bisphenol-A, and the weed killer atrazine in drinking water. Negative reactions reflect responses to ambiguous risks, but policies driven by these concerns may misallocate regulatory resources due to risk conservatism and “no-regrets” responses.

Water Quality Violations and Avoidance Behavior: Evidence from Bottled Water Consumption

2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Graff Zivin ◽  
Matthew Neidell ◽  
Wolfram Schlenker
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Bottled Water ◽  
Poor Water Quality ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

We examine the impact of poor water quality on avoidance behavior by estimating the change in bottled water purchases in response to drinking water violations. Using data from a national grocery chain matched with water quality violations, we find an increase in bottled water sales of 22 percent from violations due to microorganisms and 17 percent from violations due to elements and chemicals. Back-of-the envelope calculations yield costs of avoidance behavior at roughly $60 million for all nationwide violations in 2005, which likely reflects a significant understatement of the total willingness to pay to eliminate violations.

scholarly journals ANALISIS WILLINGNESS TO PAY PELANGGAN AIR BERSIH PDAM DI KOTA KUPANG (Analysis of Willingness to Pay Clean Water Customers of PDAM in Kupang City)

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Tris Mesano Talahatu ◽  
Marthen Robinson Pellokila ◽  
Johanis N. Kallau
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Class A ◽  
Valuation Method ◽  
Water Rates ◽  
Area Sampling ◽  
Descriptive Survey

AbstrakPDAM Kabupaten Kupang dalam mengelola pelayanan air bersih kepada masyarakat Kota Kupang menghadapi tantangan dalam pelayanannya. Salah satu permasalahan yang dihadapi PDAM adalah menyangkut tarif air minum. PDAM dalam menetapkan tarif selalu mengacu pada peraturan perundangan yang berlaku dengan pertimbangan tarif yang ada dapat memberikan keuntungan setelah biaya operasional dan pengembalian investasi. PDAM tidak pernah melakukan survey untuk mengetahui tingkat kesediaan konsumen dalam membayar tarif air minum. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengestimasi nilai Willingness To Pay (WTP) pelanggan air bersih golongan rumah tangga di Kota Kupang dan menganalisis faktor-faktor yang secara signifikan mempengaruhi WTP pelanggan air bersih golongan rumah tangga di Kota Kupang. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode survey deskriptif dan teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan kombinasi antara Area Sampling dan Proportionate Random Samplingdengan 250 responden. Metode valuasi kontingensi digunakan untuk mengetahui nilai WTP pelanggan air bersih. Nilai WTP pelanggan (individu) per bulan dalam membayar air bersih sebesar Rp. 145.489,46 sedangkan nilai total WTP untuk seluruh pelanggan PDAM Kabupaten Kupang golongan rumah tangga A (Rp 20.846 konsumen) per tahun sebesar Rp 36.394.479.684,00. Faktor-faktor yang berpengaruh signifikan terhadap WTP adalah tingkat pendapatan dan jumlah pemakaian air.AbstractPDAM Kabupaten Kupang to manage clean water service always face challenges in its service. One of the problems that PDAM often faces is the tariff of drinking water. The PDAM in determining the tariff always refers to the prevailing law and regulation with the consideration of the existing tariff can give profit after the operational cost and the return of investment. PDAM has never conducted a survey to find out how much the willingness of consumers in paying drinking water rates. This study aims to estimate the value of Willingness To Pay (WTP) of household clean water subscribers in Kupang City and to analyze the factors that significantly affect the WTP of household clean water subscribers in Kupang City. The research method used is descriptive survey method and sampling technique using a combination of sampling area and proportionate random sampling with 250 respondents. Contingency valuation method is used to know the value of PAP of clean water customer. WTP value of customer (individual) per month in paying clean water Rp. 145,489.46 while the total value of WTP for all customers of PDAM Kabupaten Kupang household class A (20,846 consumers) per year amounted to 36.394.479.684,00. Factors that have significant effect on the PAP are the level of income and the amount of water consumption.

scholarly journals One-step removal of lead from water using an electricity-free and sustainable membrane filtration

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 166-172
Author(s):  
Junwei Zhang ◽  
Yan Tung Lo ◽  
Hao Guo ◽  
Chuyang Tang
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Contamination ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Effective Removal ◽  
Volumetric Loading

Lead (Pb) is a typical contaminant in water with adverse effects on human health. Hong Kong’s incident of drinking water contamination by Pb in 2015 caused severe public concerns regarding drinking water safety. Conventional treatment methods for Pb removal generally require electricity, chemical dosage, and considerable time and space, which significantly restrict their use for rapid water purification under emergency situations. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid (PVA/PAA) composite nanofibrous membrane was developed for the rapid and effective removal of Pb from water. The PVA/PAA membrane had a high water permeability of 550 L/m2/h/kPa - 710 L/m2/h/kPa, which allowed the filtration to be driven by gravity (e.g. with a water height of 10.0 cm). The membrane showed consistently high removal efficiency of Pb (> 95%) with a volumetric loading up to 3000 L/m2. This high removal efficiency was attributed to the combined effects of complexing and electrostatic attraction between Pb and PAA. An esculent citric acid was used to regenerate the exhausted PVA/PAA membrane. The regenerated membrane maintained its removal efficiency of Pb over a five-cycle filtration. These results imply that the PVA/PAA composite membrane can be repeatedly used in electricity-free filtration devices for rapid elimination of Pb under emergency situations.

scholarly journals Application of aerated submerged spongebed biofilter for raw water pre-treatment in drinking water installation

2019 ◽  
Vol 270 ◽  
pp. 04008
Author(s):  
Margareta Novia Asih Christami ◽  
Setyo Sarwanto Moersidik ◽  
El Khobar M Nazech ◽  
Yenny Silvia
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
Organic Pollutant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Treatment Recommendation ◽  
Raw Water ◽  
Total Phosphate ◽  
Drinking Water Standard ◽  
Pre Treatment

Pesanggrahan River has been contaminated by domestic wastewater. High contamination of Pesanggrahan River with the maximum observed TSS (243,8 mg/L), COD (165,2 mg/L), Total Phosphate (0,74 mg/L), and NH3-N (1,04 mg/L) has exceeded the Raw Water for Drinking Water standard based on Government Regulation Number 82 the Year 2001. Aerated Submerged Sponge-bed Biofilter can be proposed as pre-treatment recommendation for Drinking Water Treatment Plant processing due to its environment-friendly property and ability to reduce the organic pollutant. A lab-scale experiment with the modified volume of 15% media was applied in a 6L reactor with 7 L/min oxygen supply. Retention time variation was evaluated at 1, 1,5, and 2 hours. It was found that the highest removal efficiency occurred at HRT 1,5 hours with the reduction capability of 75,5±0,12% TSS; 59,1±0,14% COD; 57,1±0,27% Total Phosphate; and 45,5±0,37% NH3-N. On the same HRT (1,5 hours), ammonia reduction obtained at k(0-order)= 0,005 g/m2day. This biofilter also decreased the optimum coagulant (PAC) concentration needed.

Riverbank filtration for drinking water supply - a proven method, perfect to face today's challenges

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Irmscher ◽  
I. Teermann
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Riverbank Filtration ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Bank Filtration ◽  
Proven Method

Hygiene standards and parasites have been a special focus of drinking water utilities for several years. In this context the development of new, high-tech water treatment methods is often taken into consideration. However, we have been applying riverbank filtration as an inexpensive, natural method in Düsseldorf for over 130 years. Indeed it had been introduced for “hygiene reasons” at the time and, according to our experience, riverbank filtration is well suited to meet these “new” hygiene challenges. We have intensively examined the infiltration of river water into the aquifer. We view this core process as the prerequisite for the sustained function of riverbank filtration. It is closely linked with the retention of turbid matters in the riverbed and the shearing forces on the subsurface. In addition, we have investigated the effectiveness of bank filtration as regards the elimination of microorganisms over recent years. According to these examinations, bacteria are reduced by an average of 3 log orders by bank filtration; individual breakthroughs correlate with high water events. According to our measurements Giardia and Cryptosporidium have been completely eliminated in riverbank passage. The retention of three examined types of viruses was also found to be almost completely accomplished.

scholarly journals Occurrence of chemicals with known or suspected endocrine disrupting activity in drinking water, groundwater and surface water, Austria 2017/2018

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Werner Brueller ◽  
Norbert Inreiter ◽  
Thomas Boegl ◽  
Martin Rubasch ◽  
Samim Saner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Limit Of Quantification ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Drinking Water Resources ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Polybrominated Diphenylethers

Summary Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause adverse effects in individuals and their offspring. In 2017 and 2018, we performed a survey on representative samples of Austrian drinking water (n = 20), groundwater (n = 22), and surface water (n = 12), the latter including bathing water (n = 5) and rivers (n = 7). We analyzed 54 samples for 28 parameters, including estrogens, polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), phthalates, perfluoroalkyl substances, alkylphenols, bisphenol A and triclosan, correlating to 1512 measurements. In 39 of the 54 samples (72.2%), at least one endocrine disrupting or potentially disrupting chemical was found at or above the limit of quantification. None of the samples yielded estrogens or triclosan in detectable levels. Bisphenol A (BPA) was detected in 4 (20.0%) samples of drinking water, in 1 (4.5%) groundwater sample, and in 1 (20%) bathing water sample, with a maximum concentration of 0.021 μg/l found in one drinking water. Two drinking water samples yielded BPA in concentrations above the limit value of 0.01 μg/l, recently proposed by the European Commission for drinking water. Therefore, the ultimate public health goal must be to further reduce and restrict the production of EDCs and therewith decrease and eventually eliminate the contamination of drinking water resources.

Degradation of endocrine disruptor bisphenol A in drinking water by ozone oxidation

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Xu ◽  
Naiyun Gao ◽  
Min Rui ◽  
Hong Wang ◽  
Haihui Wu
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Endocrine Disruptor ◽  
Ozone Oxidation

Bisphenol diglycidyl ethers and bisphenol A and their hydrolysis in drinking water

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 331-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.F. Lane ◽  
C.D. Adams ◽  
S.J. Randtke ◽  
R.E. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Bisphenol A
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