IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/isu/genres/36597.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

How Much is Clean Water Worth? Valuing Water Quality Improvement Using A Meta Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Ge, Jiaqi
  • Kling, Catherine L.
  • Herriges, Joseph A.

Abstract

This paper has developed and estimated a valuation model for water quality improvement. After reviewing more than 100 studies, we set up a data set that has 332 valuations from 38 distinct studies. Based on the data set, we estimate a linear valuation model, which can then be used to predict the mean willingness to pay by households living in a given region for water quality improvement at a given site. For instance, the willingness to pay by a typical household living in the state of Iowa for a water quality increase from 40 to 50 (out of 100) at a one-square-mile aquatic site, like Iowa's Spirit Lake, is predicted to be $137.52. The valuation model developed in this paper is particularly convenient when we want to evaluate the benefit of a project that aims at improving water quality, but a primary study is too costly or time consuming.

Suggested Citation

  • Ge, Jiaqi & Kling, Catherine L. & Herriges, Joseph A., 2013. "How Much is Clean Water Worth? Valuing Water Quality Improvement Using A Meta Analysis," Staff General Research Papers Archive 36597, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:isu:genres:36597
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/papers/p16597-2013-09-29.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leggett, Christopher G. & Bockstael, Nancy E., 2000. "Evidence of the Effects of Water Quality on Residential Land Prices," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 121-144, March.
    2. Douglas A. Greenley & Richard G. Walsh & Robert A. Young, 1981. "Option Value: Empirical Evidence from a Case Study of Recreation and Water Quality," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 96(4), pages 657-673.
    3. d'Arge, Ralph C. & Shogren, Jason F., 1989. "Okoboji experiment: Comparing non-market valuation techniques in an unusually well-defined market for water quality," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 251-259, October.
    4. Kling, Catherine L. & Bockstael, Nancy & Hanemann, W. Michael, 1987. "Estimating the Value of Water Quality Improvements in a Recreational Demand Framework," Staff General Research Papers Archive 1594, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    5. Kevin J. Boyle & P. Joan Poor & Laura O. Taylor, 1999. "Estimating the Demand for Protecting Freshwater Lakes from Eutrophication," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 81(5), pages 1118-1122.
    6. Donald J. Epp & K. S. Al-Ani, 1979. "The Effect of Water Quality on Rural Nonfarm Residential Property Values," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 61(3), pages 529-534.
    7. Rosenberger, Randall S. & Stanley, Tom D., 2006. "Measurement, generalization, and publication: Sources of error in benefit transfers and their management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 372-378, December.
    8. Robert J. Johnston & Randall S. Rosenberger, 2010. "Methods, Trends And Controversies In Contemporary Benefit Transfer," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 479-510, July.
    9. John K. Mullen & Fredric C. Menz, 1985. "The Effect of Acidification Damages on the Economic Value of the Adirondack Fishery to New York Anglers," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 67(1), pages 112-119.
    10. Wilson, Matthew A. & Hoehn, John P., 2006. "Valuing environmental goods and services using benefit transfer: The state-of-the art and science," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 335-342, December.
    11. Lipton, Douglas W., 2003. "The Value Of Improved Water Quality To Chesapeake Bay Boaters," Working Papers 28603, University of Maryland, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    12. John C. Bergstrom & Kevin J. Boyle & Gregory L. Poe (ed.), 2001. "The Economic Value of Water Quality," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1723.
    13. Mathews, Leah Greden & Homans, Frances R. & Easter, K. William, 1999. "Reducing Phosphorus Pollution In The Minnesota River: How Much Is It Worth?," Staff Papers 13771, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    14. Robert J. Johnston & Elena Y. Besedin & Richard Iovanna & Christopher J. Miller & Ryan F. Wardwell & Matthew H. Ranson, 2005. "Systematic Variation in Willingness to Pay for Aquatic Resource Improvements and Implications for Benefit Transfer: A Meta‐Analysis," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 53(2‐3), pages 221-248, June.
    15. Whitehead, John C., 2005. "Combining willingness to pay and behavior data with limited information," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 143-155, June.
    16. Magat, Wesley A. & Huber, Joel & Viscusi, W. Kip & Bell, Jason, 2000. "An Iterative Choice Approach to Valuing Clean Lakes, Rivers, and Streams," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 7-43, July.
    17. Farber, Stephen & Griner, Brian, 2000. "Valuing watershed quality improvements using conjoint analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 63-76, July.
    18. Steinnes, Donald N, 1992. "Measuring the Economic Value of Water Quality: The Case of Lakeshore Land," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 26(2), pages 171-176, June.
    19. Huang, Ju-Chin & Boyle, Kevin J. & Halstead, John M. & Gibbs, Julie P., 2002. "An Hedonic Analysis of the Effects of Lake Water Clarity on New Hampshire Lakefront Properties," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 31(1), pages 1-8, April.
    20. John A. Downing, 2009. "Valuing Water Quality as a Function of Water Quality Measures," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(1), pages 106-123.
    21. Basil E. Stumborg & Kenneth A. Baerenklau & Richard C. Bishop, 2001. "Nonpoint Source Pollution and Present Values: A Contingent Valuation Study of Lake Mendota," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 23(1), pages 120-132.
    22. Christopher D. Azevedo & Joseph A. Herriges & Catherine L. Kling, 2001. "Valuing Preservation and Improvements of Water Quality in Clear Lake," Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) Publications 01-sr94, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University.
    23. Van Houtven, George & Powers, John & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K., 2007. "Valuing water quality improvements in the United States using meta-analysis: Is the glass half-full or half-empty for national policy analysis?," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 206-228, September.
    24. Johnston, Robert J. & Swallow, Stephen K. & Weaver, Thomas F., 1999. "Estimating Willingness to Pay and Resource Tradeoffs with Different Payment Mechanisms: An Evaluation of a Funding Guarantee for Watershed Management," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 97-120, July.
    25. Desvousges, William H. & Smith, V. Kerry & Fisher, Ann, 1987. "Option price estimates for water quality improvements: A contingent valuation study for the monongahela river," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 248-267, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Reynaud, Arnaud & Lanzanova, Denis, 2017. "A Global Meta-Analysis of the Value of Ecosystem Services Provided by Lakes," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 184-194.
    2. Dennis Guignet & Matthew T. Heberling & Michael Papenfus & Olivia Griot, 2022. "Property Values, Water Quality, and Benefit Transfer: A Nationwide Meta-analysis," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 98(2), pages 191-218.
    3. Choi, Dong Soon & Ready, Richard, 2021. "Measuring benefits from spatially-explicit surface water quality improvements: The roles of distance, scope, scale, and size," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    4. Hyun No Kim, 2021. "Economic Evaluation of Water Resource Management in South Korea Based on Benefit–Cost Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, April.
    5. Catherine L. Kling & Daniel J. Phaneuf, 2018. "How are Scope and Adding up Relevant for Benefits Transfer?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 69(3), pages 483-502, March.
    6. Heather Klemick & Charles Griffiths & Dennis Guignet & Patrick Walsh, 2018. "Improving Water Quality in an Iconic Estuary: An Internal Meta-analysis of Property Value Impacts Around the Chesapeake Bay," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 69(2), pages 265-292, February.
    7. Heather Klemick & Charles Griffiths & Dennis Guignet & Patrick Walsh, 2015. "Explaining Variation in the Value of Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Using Internal Meta-analysis," NCEE Working Paper Series 201504, National Center for Environmental Economics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, revised Nov 2015.
    8. Francesco Jacopo Pintus, 2023. "Valuing drinking water quality after a PFAS contamination event: results from a meta-analysis benefit transfer," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0308, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    9. Hoque, Mohammad Mainul, 2015. "Essays on natural resources and labor economics," ISU General Staff Papers 201501010800005583, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    10. Wolf, David & Klaiber, H. Allen, 2017. "Bloom and bust: Toxic algae's impact on nearby property values," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 209-221.
    11. Ureta, J. Carl & Motallebi, Marzieh & Vassalos, Michael & Seagle, Steven & Baldwin, Robert, 2022. "Estimating residents' WTP for ecosystem services improvement in a payments for ecosystem services (PES) program: A choice experiment approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ge, Jiaqi, 2014. "Stepping into new territory: Three essays on agent-based computational economics and environmental economics," ISU General Staff Papers 201401010800004899, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    2. Robert J. Johnston & Elena Y. Besedin & Ryan Stapler, 2017. "Enhanced Geospatial Validity for Meta-analysis and Environmental Benefit Transfer: An Application to Water Quality Improvements," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 343-375, October.
    3. Van Houtven, George & Powers, John & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K., 2007. "Valuing water quality improvements in the United States using meta-analysis: Is the glass half-full or half-empty for national policy analysis?," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 206-228, September.
    4. Kuwayama, Yusuke & Olmstead, Sheila & Zheng, Jiameng, 2022. "A more comprehensive estimate of the value of water quality," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    5. Robert J. Johnston & Elena Y. Besedin & Benedict M. Holland, 2019. "Modeling Distance Decay Within Valuation Meta-Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 72(3), pages 657-690, March.
    6. Dennis Guignet & Matthew T. Heberling & Michael Papenfus & Olivia Griot, 2022. "Property Values, Water Quality, and Benefit Transfer: A Nationwide Meta-analysis," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 98(2), pages 191-218.
    7. Johnston, Robert J. & Besedin, Elena Y. & Ranson, Matthew H., 2006. "Characterizing the effects of valuation methodology in function-based benefits transfer," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 407-419, December.
    8. Alvarez, Sergio & Asci, Serhat, 2014. "Estimating the Benefits of Water Quality Improvements Using Meta-Analysis and Benefits Transfer," 2014 Annual Meeting, February 1-4, 2014, Dallas, Texas 162534, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    9. Patrick J. Walsh & J. Walter Milon, 2016. "Nutrient Standards, Water Quality Indicators, and Economic Benefits from Water Quality Regulations," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(4), pages 643-661, August.
    10. Cropper, Maureen L. & Isaac, William, 2011. "The Benefits of Achieving the Chesapeake Bay TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Loads): A Scoping Study," RFF Working Paper Series dp-11-31, Resources for the Future.
    11. Sarah Nicholls & John Crompton, 2018. "A Comprehensive Review of the Evidence of the Impact of Surface Water Quality on Property Values," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-30, February.
    12. Rebecca Moore & Bill Provencher & Richard C. Bishop, 2011. "Valuing a Spatially Variable Environmental Resource: Reducing Non-Point-Source Pollution in Green Bay, Wisconsin," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 87(1), pages 45-59.
    13. Gibson, Fiona & Pannell, David & Boxall, Peter & Burton, Michael & Johnston, Robert & Kragt, Marit & Rogers, Abbie & Rolfe, John, 2016. "Non-market valuation in the economic analysis of natural hazards," Working Papers 236941, University of Western Australia, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    14. Ann Hodgkinson & Abbas Valadkhani, 2009. "Community Valuations of Environmental Quality in Coastal Lakes: Lake Illawarra Case Study," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 28(2), pages 155-168, June.
    15. Mazzotta, Marisa & Wainger, Lisa & Sifleet, Samantha & Petty, J.Todd & Rashleigh, Brenda, 2015. "Benefit transfer with limited data: An application to recreational fishing losses from surface mining," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 384-398.
    16. Poor, P. Joan & Pessagno, Keri L. & Paul, Robert W., 2007. "Exploring the hedonic value of ambient water quality: A local watershed-based study," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 797-806, February.
    17. Kevin Boyle & Christopher Parmeter & Brent Boehlert & Robert Paterson, 2013. "Due Diligence in Meta-analyses to Support Benefit Transfers," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 55(3), pages 357-386, July.
    18. Okmyung Bin & Jeffrey Czajkowski & Jingyuan Li & Gabriele Villarini, 2017. "Housing Market Fluctuations and the Implicit Price of Water Quality: Empirical Evidence from a South Florida Housing Market," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 319-341, October.
    19. Robert J. Johnston & Kevin J. Boyle & Maria L. Loureiro & Ståle Navrud & John Rolfe, 2021. "Guidance to Enhance the Validity and Credibility of Environmental Benefit Transfers," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 79(3), pages 575-624, July.
    20. Khatri-Chhetri, Arun & Collins, Alan R., 2011. "Estimation of a Surface Water Quality Valuation Index for the Appalachian Region," 2011 Annual Meeting, July 24-26, 2011, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 103653, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:isu:genres:36597. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Curtis Balmer (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/deiasus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.