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Economies of scale in community water systems

Publication ,  Journal Article
Shih, JS; Harrington, W; Pizer, WA; Gillingham, K
Published in: Journal / American Water Works Association
January 1, 2006

Data sets from the US Environmental Protection Agency's 1995 and 2000 Community Water Systems surveys were used to examine the production costs of water supply systems. The authors estimate water supply economies of scale by estimating the elasticities of both the total unit cost and the individual component costs. For total unit cost, they found that a 1 % production increase reduced unit costs by a statistically significant 0.16%. For individual component costs, higher economies of scale in capital, materials, outside services, and other costs and lower, but still positive, economies of scale in labor and energy costs were found. These economies of scale may reflect production economies or suggest that larger systems are better than smaller systems at bargaining and receiving services and materials at a lower unit cost. Importantly, bargaining gains and some production economies do not necessarily depend on water systems becoming physically interconnected. - RSH.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal / American Water Works Association

DOI

ISSN

0003-150X

Publication Date

January 1, 2006

Volume

98

Issue

9

Start / End Page

100 / 108

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4104 Environmental management
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 4004 Chemical engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0904 Chemical Engineering
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Shih, J. S., Harrington, W., Pizer, W. A., & Gillingham, K. (2006). Economies of scale in community water systems. Journal / American Water Works Association, 98(9), 100–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1551-8833.2006.tb07757.x
Shih, J. S., W. Harrington, W. A. Pizer, and K. Gillingham. “Economies of scale in community water systems.” Journal / American Water Works Association 98, no. 9 (January 1, 2006): 100–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1551-8833.2006.tb07757.x.
Shih JS, Harrington W, Pizer WA, Gillingham K. Economies of scale in community water systems. Journal / American Water Works Association. 2006 Jan 1;98(9):100–8.
Shih, J. S., et al. “Economies of scale in community water systems.” Journal / American Water Works Association, vol. 98, no. 9, Jan. 2006, pp. 100–08. Scopus, doi:10.1002/j.1551-8833.2006.tb07757.x.
Shih JS, Harrington W, Pizer WA, Gillingham K. Economies of scale in community water systems. Journal / American Water Works Association. 2006 Jan 1;98(9):100–108.

Published In

Journal / American Water Works Association

DOI

ISSN

0003-150X

Publication Date

January 1, 2006

Volume

98

Issue

9

Start / End Page

100 / 108

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4104 Environmental management
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 4004 Chemical engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0904 Chemical Engineering