Groundwater Economics

A unified discussion of groundwater and its economic importance, this book explores cost/benefit analysis and approaches for the different aspects of use, protection, and remediation. It examines the development of the legal basis for use and access rights, then addresses drinking water, irrigation, and efficient waste disposal. The author considers micro- and macro-economic factors, cost benefit tools, sustainability, and policy evaluation, ease of policy implementation, and societal acceptance. He synthesizes key points into practical steps for future application, describing ways to evaluate the economics of ground water use in the context of the larger ecosystem and its sustainability.