Social accounting system for evaluating water resources

Abstract

A rudimentary social accounting system has been developed that is shown to be applicable to actual data. Methodology is suggested for a technique that can ultimately within one comprehensive framework systematically catalog all surface water in terms of social value, recognize the periodic increases and decreases in the water quality of each area, and provide a basis for evaluating alternative water use programs in terms of social and human welfare. The development of the system would involve defining a socially oriented quantifying unit, identifying the pollution factors and the water users, and designing a method to translate the hardship of the polluting factors on the water users in terms of the quantifying unit. Accounting statements are shown that can report the status of pollution at specified dates as well as pollution changes over time.