Household preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for freshwater quality improvement in Pakistan’s Swat River Valley

This two-part study investigates household preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for water quality improvement of the Swat River in Pakistan. First, a four-point Likert scale was used to rank preferences for water quality benefits without using any financial metric. Results show that households have comparatively strong preferences for non-use benefits. Second, a contingent valuation question was designed to determine WTP for adopting a management plan developed exclusively for water quality improvement in the Swat River. The estimated annual mean WTP per household for water quality improvement is $2.40 when donating to an NGO. Generalizing this value to households living in Swat Valley would generate up to $544,000 per year. The present value aggregate benefit for 15 years would be sufficient to cover the present value of aggregate costs to adopt the management plan. A mandatory program that would require paying for the management plan generates half the WTP compared to the voluntary plan, but is still sufficient to cover costs and may be more feasible than a voluntary program because payment is assured.     

Assessing the human health impacts of exposure to disinfection by-products — A critical review of concepts and methods

Understanding the public health implications of chemical contamination of drinking water is important for societies and their decision-makers. The possible population health impacts associated with exposure to disinfection by-products (DBPs) are of particular interest due to their potential carcinogenicity and their widespread occurrence as a result of treatments employed to control waterborne infectious disease.We searched the literature for studies that have attempted quantitatively to assess population health impacts and health risks associated with exposure to DBPs in drinking water. We summarised and evaluated these assessments in terms of their objectives, methods, treatment of uncertainties, and interpretation and communication of results.In total we identified 40 studies matching our search criteria. The vast majority of studies presented estimates of generic cancer and non-cancer risks based on toxicological data and methods that were designed with regulatory, health-protective purposes in mind, and therefore presented imprecise and biased estimates of health impacts. Many studies insufficiently addressed the numerous challenges to DBP risk assessment, failing to evaluate the evidence for a causal relationship, not appropriately addressing the complex nature of DBP occurrence as a mixture of chemicals, not adequately characterising exposure in space and time, not defining specific health outcomes, not accounting for characteristics of target populations, and not balancing potential risks of DBPs against the health benefits related with drinking water disinfection. Uncertainties were often poorly explained or insufficiently accounted for, and important limitations of data and methods frequently not discussed. Grave conceptual and methodological limitations in study design, as well as erroneous use of available dose–response data, seriously impede the extent to which many of these assessments contribute to understanding the public health implications of exposure to DBPs. In some cases, assessment results may cause unwarranted alarm among the public and potentially lead to poor decisions being made in sourcing, treatment, and provision of drinking water. We recommend that the assessment of public health impacts of DBPs should be viewed as a means of answering real world policy questions relating to drinking water quality, including microbial contaminants; that they should be conducted using the most appropriate and up-to-date data and methods, and that associated uncertainties and limitations should be accounted for using quantitative methods where appropriate.     

Residents’ Attitude to Pay for Urban River Restoration: Empirical Evidence from Cities in Yangtze Delta

Abstract

Public willingness to pay (WTP) for urban rivers restoration was investigated in Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou in China with a sample of 1,285. The factors influencing positive WTP against zero WTP are analyzed using a binary logit model. The results indicate that income, Huji (residential registration) status, household size, home property ownership, riverfront access, and attitudes toward current water quality are statistically significant in the likelihood of positive WTP. It is also found that respondents without local Huji are less willingness to pay positively in pooled sample and Shanghai sample. In the group holding property right of house but without local Huji is less willingness to pay positively in Hangzhou. Respondents in Nanjing are more willingness to pay positively than those in Hangzhou. Most common arguments against to pay for the restoration are “government’s duty”, “low income”, “non-local-Huji” and “lack of trust in the government in how it spends money”. The results are generally consistent with the hypothesis and specific situations in China. The findings make some contributions to the non-market valuation studies as well as provide useful information for public policy making in China.     

Willingness to pay for environmental quality: Evidence from survey data

The environmental movement evidenced a period of extremely rapid growth during the 1960's and early 1970's. Some recent studies have indicated a decline in general public concern with environmental problems. In this paper we attempt to provide some new evidence which might be of assistance in ascertaining the relative status of concern for the economy, concern for the environment, and willingness to pay for environmental quality. The study focuses upon a major city in a large energy producing state with a large ethnic (Mexican-American) minority. Our data indicate that concern for the environment is not a highly salient issue for our respondents. Economic concerns far outweigh enviromental issues. Additionally, willingness to pay for environmental quality is not a unidimensional trait. Perception of who is responsible for pollution rather than perception of a deteriorating environment is a significant indicator of willingness to pay for environmental quality.     

Chemical evaluation of potable water in Eastern Qinghai Province, China: human health aspects

Electric conductivity, pH, COD(Mn), nutrient concentration, chloride and sulfate concentrations, total dissolved sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, cadmium, copper, arsenic, nickel, zinc, chromium and lead were evaluated to clarify concerns about the quality and safety of water used for drinking purposes in Qinghai Province, China. For this purpose, 12 water samples were collected from different villages, Qinghai (Koko Nor) Lake and medicinal springs close to the Town of Pingang during a study visit to China in 2003. The results showed that National Chinese and WHO drinking water standards were exceeded for nutrient concentration (3.2 mg l(-1) of TOT-N and 0.2 mg l(-1) of TOT-P) from Qinghai Lake. The presence of elevated electric conductivity (550 mS m(-1)) in mineral water resort samples should be a matter of a public concern. Also, samples from medicinal springs showed high concentrations of Fe (up to 1.9 mg l(-1)), As (up to 0.1 mg l(-1)) and Ni (0.05 mg l(-1)), which may be detrimental for human health if the water is consumed on a daily basis. The concentrations of Cu, Cd, Cr and Pb did not exceed the National Chinese and WHO drinking water standards, and therefore, water from the sampling area does not pose any significant threat to the consumers' health regarding these metals.     

猫儿山自然保护区生态受益者支付意愿及影响因素

利用问卷调查和条件估值法,以猫儿山自然保护区为例,基于保护区受益者视角,分析受益区居民对保护区的认知、支付意愿及其影响因素和支付方式,探讨自然保护区生态补偿机制的构建。结果表明：（1）受益区居民对猫儿山自然保护区基本情况不熟悉,但绝大多数受益者认同保护区与漓江中下游的水源密切相关。部分受访者不认同作为保护区生态效益受益者的身份;（2）8558%的受益者愿意为猫儿山自然保护区提供帮助,受益者的支付意愿为每户每年28789元,对受益者来说,保护区生态系统服务的经济价值为202×108元/a;（3）文化层次和家庭年收入与支付意愿的关系呈单调变化,职业的影响表现出企业员工的支付意愿最高,其次是教师,农民的支付意愿最低;（4）受益者支付意愿的方式偏好存在差异性,比起现金支付,受益者更倾向于通过参加环保公益活动和纳税的形式,支付保护区提供的生态效益。     

Legislation on protection of drinking water sources and local management practices in the Pearl River Delta region of China

The protection of drinking water sources is vital to urban development and public health. In this study, the current situation of the mandatory protection area for drinking water source in the Pearl River Delta region was investigated using a method combining Google Earth with the field survey. The gaps between management practices and legislation requirements were analyzed. Finally, several countermeasures for water resource protection were proposed as follows: to promote delineation in a more scientific way, to safeguard the sanctity of the law, to make better plan on water saving, and to encourage public participation in supervision and management.     

水电工程干扰下饮用水水源地的水质风险评估

采用数值模拟方式预测和评估水电工程对其影响区内饮用水水源地的水质风险,其目的在于辨析工程对取水水质安全的影响。以汉江上游待建旬阳水电站库区内水源地为例,建立二维水流和水质数学模型,分析了水域水动力学和水质变化特征,选取最不利方案进行水质风险评估,并从水体水动力特征和营养状态判别了富营养化风险程度。研究表明：工程兴建后水源地水域水流变化和取水口临近支流潜在污染源的威胁,水质遭受污染的风险增大,在月河水质超标及特定水库运行条件下许家台取水口水质无法保障。同时,水域富营养化水平相比建库前并没有显著的提高。研究可为水电开发涉及水源地项目的水环境影响分析提供理论依据     

基于离散选择模型的水质改良非市场价值评估——以滇池为例

非市场价值的评估是水质改良项目经济可行性分析或水生态破坏补偿决策必须考虑的难题。以滇池为例,通过问卷调查获得昆明市居民对滇池水污染的认识及对水质改良的选择数据,利用离散选择模型估计了滇池水质改良的非市场价值。结果表明,多数居民对水污染有较好的认识,居民选择水质改良的概率与家庭收入、目标水质、对生态影响的认识等有显著的正相关性,与水质改良的附加费、家中是否有小孩及在当地居住时间有显著的负相关性。居民户对四类水和三类水水质的支付意愿分别为42元/月和91元/月,或504元/a和1092元/a,分别占家庭年平均收入的011%和023%;算得滇池目前的水质改良到IV类和III类的非市场价值分别是6 91996万元/a和14 99324万元/a。可见,离散选择模型法通过对复杂的取舍关系进行分析,能在考虑多因素的基础上估算出水质改良的非市场价值,所得的信息可为水质改良决策提供参考依据     

ABORIGINAL PEOPLE’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS PAYING FOR WATER IN A WATER-SCARCE REGION OF AUSTRALIA

In Australia, governments are committed to water infrastructure developments that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable. Consumption-based pricing is seen as a water conservation strategy. This has significant implications for Aboriginal communities, many of which do not pay for water use and experience economic hardship. This paper outlines attitudes towards paying for water use in five Aboriginal communities in South Australia. Inability to pay for services was a common factor hindering willingness to pay for water. While different factors were raised in different communities, most communities believed that water is a ‘cultural right’ that should not be paid for. The research found that strategies such as communication and community involvement in the decision-making processes around water supply are necessary to facilitate cost recovery and to promote water conservation.     

水源地生态补偿标准估算——以贵阳鱼洞峡水库为例

鱼洞河是乌江水系的一个小支流,为下游贵阳市提供饮用水水源。在鱼洞河上下游之间建立生态补偿机制,理论上需要知道上游治理污染和维护生态环境的费用,以及下游对上游提供的生态环境服务的支付意愿。只有下游的支付意愿大于上游的费用,上下游之间的生态补偿机制才有理论可能性。在对上游龙里县汇水区进行实地调研后,重点评估了当地安装沼气系统、坡耕地(≥25°)退耕还林、其他地区的土壤侵蚀防治以及点源污染治理费用,得出上游治理投资费用为199万元,年度费用每年89.2万元-168万元。采用意愿调查法(CVM)对贵阳市自来水用户对上游环境服务的支付意愿进行了评估。采用简单随机抽样方法在贵阳3个区内选取了900户作为样本,结果表明,有62.7%的人愿意为生态补偿付费。采用PROBIT模型,可以计算出为避免鱼洞河水质恶化的支付意愿均值为0.37元/m3,贵阳市自来水用户总的支付意愿每年达847万元。结果表明在鱼洞河水源地进行上下游生态补偿理论上是可能的,补偿标准介于上游费用与下游支付意愿之间。     

基于问卷调查的上海市大气环境质量改善的支付意愿研究

上海近年来以O₃和PM_2.5为代表的复合型污染问题较为突出，合理评估大气环境对居民产生的影响对于环境政策决策具有重要意义。利用条件价值评估法，对上海500位居民开展了关于改善大气环境质量的支付意愿的调查研究。结果表明:上海居民对大气环境质量的关注和重视程度较高，并采取了积极的应对措施，全市在购买和使用空气净化器和防雾霾口罩方面的开支约为23亿元/a；在所有受访者中，有56%对改善大气环境质量有支付意愿，且收入、学历和患病程度与愿意支付的概率呈正相关，年龄则表现为负相关；从支付金额来看，有支付意愿的受访者对于减少一天雾霾的平均支付意愿为74元/户，推算至2016年全市整体的支付意愿在200亿元左右。其中，学历、收入、家庭人口数、患相关疾病的严重程度及防护意识与支付金额大小呈显著正相关，年龄则表现为负相关。进一步比较上海主要污染物的减排成本和居民支付意愿，从全社会成本角度，进一步开展污染减排具有成本有效性。     

上海河岸带公众偏好及生态系统服务价值评估

针对上海地区河岸带的环境质量提升情况,基于条件价值法(CVM)研究上海市居民对河岸带的偏好、支付意愿及生态系统服务价值,并通过SPSS软件考察影响受访者支付意愿率的主要因素。得到以下结论:①受访者对上海地区河岸带满意度与其使用河岸带频率呈显著相关性(p=0.001),表明受访者与河岸带的亲疏关系主要取决于其利用河岸带的实际频率。②使用五点评价法对河岸带状况进行分析,亲水性指标得分2.94,水质指标得分3.51,分别为受访者对河岸带最满意与最不满意要素。③针对河岸带10项评价要素进行因子分析,可将受访者对河岸带的满意度因子归纳为河岸带的自然属性和社会属性,且后者的影响权重更大。④受访者对树草结合、人行道位于绿化间且护岸保留湿地的河岸带布局的评价结果得分1 199,为最高得分,表明受访者偏好该类河岸带布局。⑤投标金额在一系列影响支付意愿率因子中,显著性p=0.000,影响最为剧烈。⑥受访者的支付意愿为537.6元/(年.户),整个生态系统的估算价值为2.74亿元/年。     

国家公园游客旅游生态补偿支付意愿及影响因素研究——以黄山风景区为例

了解与把握游客的旅游生态补偿支付意愿是实施旅游生态补偿政策的前提之一。以黄山风景区为例,通过问卷调查和条件价值法获取游客的支付意愿信息,并运用二元Logistic回归分析法从游客个人特征、旅游环境影响认知、游客满意度、重游意愿、生态补偿认知等4个方面对游客旅游生态补偿支付意愿的影响因素进行研究,旨在为国家公园旅游生态补偿机制的构建提供依据。结果表明:(1)国家公园游客具有较高的旅游生态补偿支付意愿。86.7%的游客表示愿意在每次游览黄山风景区支付旅游生态补偿金,仅有13.3%的游客不愿意支付。游客的支付意愿与游客自身的角色定位密切相关。(2)从回归结果来看,游客的性别、年龄、重游意愿和补偿必要性认知对旅游生态补偿支付意愿具有显著影响,女性游客支付意愿高于男性,年龄与支付意愿呈显著负相关,重游意愿和补偿必要性认知与其呈显著正相关关系。学历水平、月收入、旅游环境影响认知、满意度和补偿政策认知等变量对支付意愿在10%的显著性水平下不存在显著影响。但从统计结果来看,学历水平、黄山环境质量评价、环境破坏的担心度、生态环境的重要性、满意度对游客的支付意愿有一定的正向作用,游客月收入水平和补偿政策认知与支付意愿呈倒"U"型非线性关系。     

Participatory incremental slum upgrading towards sustainability: an assessment of slum dwellers’ willingness and ability to pay for utility services

The concept of participatory slum upgrading has received attention in the conventional literature because it ensures and promotes the sustainability of slum-upgrading programmes. In participatory slum-upgrading programmes, slum dwellers are treated as partners, instead of recipients of the services that are provided to mitigate their deprivations. The concept thrives on the willingness and ability of slum dwellers to pay for the services. The ability of slum dwellers to pay for services, unlike their willingness to pay, has received limited research attentions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the willingness and ability of residents of a slum settlement in Kumasi in Ghana to pay for utility services. Semi-structured interview schedules were used to gather primary data from a total of 276 households. The survey data were supplemented with data from key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The results show that almost nine out of every ten households were willing to pay for water and electricity services, if these services would be supplied to them directly by the state providers. The exploitation of the residents by unregulated utility services providers partly explains their willingness to pay for the utility services. These service providers charged almost 14 times the official tariffs. The results further show that all the households who were willing to pay were also capable of paying for the services without compromising their ability to afford other life essentials. The study concludes that slum regularisation policies, programmes and projects could be designed to be incremental and participatory by making the slum dwellers, partners and drivers of the upgrading process.     

Water pollution in Pakistan and its impact on public health--a review

Water pollution is one of the major threats to public health in Pakistan. Drinking water quality is poorly managed and monitored. Pakistan ranks at number 80 among 122 nations regarding drinking water quality. Drinking water sources, both surface and groundwater are contaminated with coliforms, toxic metals and pesticides throughout the country. Various drinking water quality parameters set by WHO are frequently violated. Human activities like improper disposal of municipal and industrial effluents and indiscriminate applications of agrochemicals in agriculture are the main factors contributing to the deterioration of water quality. Microbial and chemical pollutants are the main factors responsible exclusively or in combination for various public health problems. This review discusses a detailed layout of drinking water quality in Pakistan with special emphasis on major pollutants, sources of pollution and the consequent health problems. The data presented in this review are extracted from various studies published in national and international journals. Also reports released by the government and non-governmental organizations are included.     

认知资源对公众城市气象灾害防御支付意愿的影响研究——基于南京市暴雨灾害防御的实证

城市气象灾害防御措施的改进是防灾减灾的有效手段,但如何在辨识公众支付意愿的基础上,构建多方成本分担的灾害防御制度是解决问题的关键。从成本分担的视角出发,以南京暴雨灾害防御为例,分析公众对增强型城市气象灾害防御的支付意愿及认知资源在其中的重要作用。通过构建由Probit模型和有序Probit模型组成的递归混合模型,探讨认知资源和经济资源在公众支付决策中的重要性。研究表明:认知资源的作用十分明显,且随着公众对暴雨灾害风险感知、防御措施了解程度、防御制度认可程度的提高,公众支付意愿越强。而暴雨灾害风险感知又受到灾害趋势认知和经历的共同影响,这两个变量分别影响风险感知的广度和深度,但受教育程度对风险感知深度的影响并不显著。核心建议是从满足公众对城市暴雨灾害风险、防御措施、灾害趋势等知识的需求,政府应该加强暴雨灾害科普宣传的主动性、提升主管和协同部门的公信力;规范科普知识内容、拓宽科普渠道。     

Viruses in surface and drinking waters

Over 114 different human enteric viruses are known. They are all excreted into sewage, and opportunities exist for them to find their way into water distribution systems. The characteristics of the illnesses caused by enteric viruses make their transmission by water difficult to recognize. Methods are not available for isolating all of the enteric viruses from water, so that finding any type of human virus in drinking water is an indication that other types may also be present. With improvements in technology, our laboratory has recently been able to detect group B coxsackieviruses, rotaviruses, and hepatitis A virus in chlorinated drinking water. At present, there are no uniform methods for concentrating, isolating, and identifying viruses in water. Emphasis should be placed on seeking uniformity in methods so that standards can be set for viruses in water.     

苏州地区地下水资源城市应急利用适宜性研究

随着太湖水体富营养化程度的不断加剧,建立安全、稳定、可靠的应急备用水源日益重要。利用2005~2009年苏州地区地下水水质连续监测和补充监测资料,对第Ⅱ承压含水层进行了应急利用(生活饮用和工业利用)的水质适宜性和安全性评价分析。研究结果表明:第Ⅱ承含水层主要水化学类型为Na-HCO3、Ca-HCO3和Na-CaHCO3型,水质总体稳定,年际差异很小;地下水水质指数(WQI)均值较低(位于49.98~68.75之间),地下水没有受到有机物污染,可作为应急利用水源;WQI的水质指标贡献率表明,As、Fe、pH和Mn指标的贡献率最大,局部区域As、Fe、Mn及氨氮和亚硝酸盐含量较高,应急利用时应进行处理。朗格里尔饱和指数(LSI)和拉森比(LnR)评价结果表明,该水源易结垢,具有轻微腐蚀倾向,作为工业备用水源时应进行适当的处理。为苏州地区地下水应急水源建设和安全利用提供了科学依据和参考。     

Just Turn on the Faucet: A Content Analysis of PSAs About the Global Water Crisis on YouTube

Water is essential for human life, yet safe drinking water is a limited resource. Critical to fighting the global water crisis are public awareness campaigns, including Public Service Announcements (PSAs). While YouTube has become a popular medium for disseminating prosocial content such as PSAs, environmental communication efforts on this platform remain largely uninvestigated. This study examines the content and characteristics of global water crisis PSAs on YouTube by applying two communication models: the Extended Parallel Process Model, and the Elaboration Likelihood Model. These models are used to evaluate the potential effectiveness of the PSAs. Content analysis reveals that threat messages often outweigh efficacy messages in the videos, central route processing cues are more prevalent than peripheral route cues, and a focus on quality or quantity issues differed by sponsoring organization (non-profit, for-profit, government). Implications and avenues for potential future research are discussed.