Evidence for demonstrating the benefits of water quality improvements - Guidance to the Water District Authorities

Summary

The purpose of this guidance is to highlight and discuss aspects relating to the need for evidence that can provide support with regard to the benefit side of assessments of disproportionate costs when deciding on exemptions under Chapter 4, Section 10 of the Water Management Ordinance (2004:660). This is done by first looking back at previous recommendations on how the application of economic valuation should be strengthened in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive.

Thereafter, general and specific valuation studies are discussed, where the former, unlike the latter, evaluate water quality improvements without any specific water area being investigated, described or singled out. As an example, the general valuation study that forms the basis for the benefits estimates in the Water District Authorities’ programmes of measures for water 2022-2027 is used.

Finally, the need for evidence is discussed on the basis of valuation studies that are planned to be carried out in the next few years with funding from the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, respectively, and the knowledge needs that have prompted these studies.