Estimation of Economic Value of Social Participation in Water Pollution Control in the South of Tehran

Abstract

Throughout the year, a huge volume of the surface running water as well as sewage flow down into the plantations of the south of Tehran which can have detrimental hygienic and environmental impacts. In this study, people's views and their willingness to pay for participation in reduction of water pollution in the south of Tehran are investigated by use of Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The results show that the residents of Tehran incline to pay 860 milliard Rials annually for the sewage filtration, the management of its use, and consequently the decrease in hygienic and environmental damages. According to these results, the most important characteristic of the products irrigated with treated sewage is their hygiene and healthiness. The results showed that, based on the priorities of the citizens, treated sewage in the first stage should be used in irrigating the green spaces then in indirect edible products such as forage and wheat and at a later stages it can also be used as a source of drinking water for animals and irrigating crops such as tomatoes and leafy vegetables.