Incorporating uncertainty and risk into decision making to reduce nitrogen inputs to impaired waters.

ABSTRACT: This article aims to understand decision making under uncertainty and risk, with a case study on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Decision makers need to consider imperfect information on the cost and effectiveness of advanced nitrogen-removing on-site wastewater treatment systems as options to mitigate water quality degradation. Research included modeling nitrogen load reduction to impaired coastal waters from seven treatment system technologies and eliciting expert knowledge on their costs. Predictions of nitrogen load removal and cost for each technology incorporated variation in effectiveness and uncertainty in household water use, costs, and expert confidence in costs. The predictions were evaluated using the Pareto efficiency concept to reveal tradeoffs between cost and effectiveness. The st

SUBMITTER: Martin DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7901712 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature