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Arriving at the Economic Level of Leakage: Environmental Aspects
Author(s) -
Howarth D. A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1998.tb00173.x
Subject(s) - leakage (economics) , natural resource economics , climate change , business , carbon leakage , environmental economics , environmental planning , economics , environmental science , climate policy , ecology , macroeconomics , biology
In England and Wales, recent droughts and the future threat posed by climate change has intensified the debate on the suitability of either resource‐development or demand‐management approaches to ensure that supply and demand are kept in balance. The need to reduce leakage from water distribution systems has gained almost universal acceptance, and discussion now centres on what should be included in the cost‐benefit analysis in determining that economic level of leakage. This paper (a) reviews the role of the Environment Agency in leakage control and the current thinking on the economic level of leakage, (b) argues the case for the inclusion of environmental costs and benefits, and (c) explores some of the reasons why water companies appear to be reluctant to pursue the goal of further leakage reduction.