Premium
DETERMINANTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL NONCOMPLIANCE BY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
Author(s) -
RAHMAN TAUHIDUR,
KOHLI MINI,
MEGDAL SHARON,
ARADHYULA SATHEESH,
MOXLEY JACKIE
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
contemporary economic policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.454
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1465-7287
pISSN - 1074-3529
DOI - 10.1111/j.1465-7287.2009.00150.x
Subject(s) - enforcement , business , public economics , compliance (psychology) , empirical evidence , safe drinking water act , environmental health , environmental economics , economics , water quality , medicine , psychology , political science , philosophy , epistemology , law , biology , social psychology , ecology
Whereas a large number of empirical studies have been devoted to analyzing determinants of environmental compliance (EC) by firms, less attention has been paid to EC by public water systems (PWS). To address this gap in the literature, this article uses data on compliance with maximum contaminant levels (MCL) under the Safe Drinking Water Act for 971 PWS in Arizona and identifies the characteristics of PWS that are associated with violation of MCL standards. Three main findings emerge from the analysis. First, larger PWS are more likely to violate MCL standards than smaller PWS. Second, publicly owned PWS have slightly higher probability of violating MCL standards than privately owned systems. Finally, PWS serving residential areas are more likely to violate MCL standards, as opposed to PWS serving school districts or office buildings. The results suggest that for ensuring safe water for people, effectiveness of monitoring policy, and an efficient utilization of resources, the environmental agencies may focus their monitoring and enforcement efforts on these water systems. ( JEL K32, Q53)