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Cost of Contamination

Cost of Contamination

Direct Costs of Groundwater Contamination

  • Investigation costs (soil and water testing)
  • Legal fees to recover investigation and treatment costs (if responsible party is identified)
  • Clean up and remediation costs
  • Costs of public information/education addressing contaminated drinking water supply
  • Costs of buying a temporary water supply from another community (often at higher rates)
  • Professional consulting fees to locate a new well or well field
  • Costs of new well or well field development (wells and transmission lines)

Indirect Costs of Groundwater Contamination

Increased monitoring expenses

  • Loss in property values
  • Lost jobs (if industry must relocate due to water costs)
  • Decline in consumer confidence in water supply
  • Potential lawsuits from consumption of contaminated water in case of treatment failure.

Costs from Ohio EPA’s “The Costs and Benefits of Wellhead Protection and Financing Options”

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