A transferable water quality ladder for conveying use and ecological information within public surveys

This paper seeks to address the problem of conveying changes in open-water quality to the public within surveys such as within stated preference valuation studies. This is achieved through the creation of a new water quality ladder designed to address both the use value issues which have dominated previous such ladders and ecological change and associated non-use values. The assumptions underpinning the ladder allow its levels to be related to nationally available data concerning measures of water quality so as to enhance the transferability of values derived from using such a scale. This paper also seeks to compare the new water quality ladder to the standards for different ecological states outlined by the UK Technical Advisory Group (UKTAG) for meeting the commitments of the Water Framework Directive and shows how such an analysis can be an aid to applying a benefits transfer.