Previous studies have sought to develop econometric models of water supply systems, which can be used to predict future water supply costs; none, however, have investigated the influence of climatic factors. In this paper, climatic and other regional influences on the costs of water supply in the USA are explored using multivariate analysis of water supply costs from water supply utilities located throughout the USA. Results showed that over 90% of the variation in present water supply capital and operating costs for surface and ground water systems can be explained by variations in quantity of water delivered, with other variables, particularly regional climate, playing a negligible role. An analysis of the historic development of water supply in the USA showed that capital expenses for water supply systems are a relatively small component of the present total annual costs because: (1) the original capital expenditures were reduced for utilities due to large public subsidization; (2) repayment of capital expenditures is now complete owing to the long time period since the original investments; and (3) new policies encourage demand management instead of supply expansion. Therefore, the present costs of water supply are not related to climate and thus are not a useful guide to future costs in studies that evaluate climate change impacts.
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Research Article|
August 01 2004
Lack of influence of climate on present cost of water supply in the USA
Paul H. Kirshen;
aDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; and Tufts Water, Sustainability, Health and Ecological Diversity (WaterSHED) Center, Tufts University, 322 Anderson Hall, Medford MA 02155 USA
Corresponding author. Fax +1-617-627-3994. E-mail: paul.kirshen@tufts.edu
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Andrea L. Larsen;
Andrea L. Larsen
b3000 Bissonnet Street, Suite 8308, Houston TX 77005, USA
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Richard M. Vogel;
Richard M. Vogel
cDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and WaterSHED Center, Tufts University, Medford MA 02155, USA
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William Moomaw
William Moomaw
dFletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford MA 02155, USA
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Water Policy (2004) 6 (4): 269–279.
Article history
Received:
October 10 2001
Accepted:
November 06 2003
Citation
Paul H. Kirshen, Andrea L. Larsen, Richard M. Vogel, William Moomaw; Lack of influence of climate on present cost of water supply in the USA. Water Policy 1 August 2004; 6 (4): 269–279. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2004.0018
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