An Economic Framework for Evaluation Benefits and Costs of Water Reuse

The financial costs of constructing and operating water reuse or desalination projects are often relatively high compared to the cost of using more traditional sources of water. Thus, it is important to have a reasonably complete recognition and accounting of the full range of benefits of such projects to determine whether the benefits outweigh the costs. These needs served as the impetus for this research report, which includes the essential components of an economic framework identified by an expert panel convened as part of this project. The project provides an economic framework to help water managers conduct a benefit-cost analysis that identifies, estimates, and effectively communicates the full range of benefits and costs associated with water reuse or related activities.

Originally funded as WERF project Reuse-03-06-02.