Economic Valuation of PFAS Remediation in New Hampshire Municipal Drinking Water Systems: A Contingent Valuation Approach
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 150, Issue 8
Abstract
Since the early 2000s there has been an increase in detection and awareness of per- or polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances chemicals in groundwater and drinking water in the United States. In stark contrast to other known harmful chemical pollutants, little is known yet about the specific epidemiological and toxicological effects of prolonged intake and consumption of PFAS chemicals in environmentally occurring levels. New Hampshire has encountered two high-profile episodes of PFAS contamination with hotspots in Merrimack, NH, because of factory pollution and Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, NH, because of military activity. These instances have brought increased attention to the issue from both the state legislature and residents. The purpose of this study is to gather information on how New Hampshire residents value the removal of PFAS chemicals from their public drinking water systems to reduce the risk of possible negative health outcomes that come with PFAS intake. Using data from an online survey of New Hampshire (NH) residents and employing the contingent valuation method, we used several regression techniques to determine that NH residents are willing to pay an additional $13.07 to their existing water bill to remove the risk of negative health outcomes stemming from PFAS consumption. The most important confounding factor influencing higher willingness-to-pay values was the presence of moderate or major existing health concerns about drinking tap water.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or codes supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station under Multistate Project 2249. This is Scientific Contribution Number 2953. The authors thank the anonymous reviewers and the survey participants for valuable information and assistance. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 150 • Issue 8 • August 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 27, 2022
Accepted: Feb 12, 2024
Published online: Jun 7, 2024
Published in print: Aug 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Nov 7, 2024
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