Enabling Polluter-Pays Principle: Integrating Valuation for Groundwater Pollution in Chunnakam-Jaffna

Background and Objective: One of the main bottlenecks in estimating polluter-pays values is revealing the total private cost of environmental deterioration for every affected individual. Consequently, this study aims to present a precise methodological approach for evaluating the comprehensive cost of water pollution in Chunnakam-Jaffna. Materials and Methods: To assess the pollution’s impact on the WTA value, a representative sample was selected, encompassing around 10% of the population within each 0.25 km radius of the pollution source. Assuming uniform pollution levels within each 0.25 km area, a list of 200 permanent residents obtained from the divisional secretariat was used. Prior to the questionnaire survey, conducting focus group discussions within the communities is essential to estimate the precise bid value. Results: Eleven variables were identified as independent factors that could influence the determination of the WTA value. Among these, six variables were expected to exhibit a positive relationship with WTA, including the level of education, income, monthly medical expenditure, cost of aversion activities, loss of earnings and family size. Conclusion: The calculation of WTA is one of the most effective techniques for comprehensively assessing the true cost of environmental pollution. Therefore, victims could be compensated using WTA values rather than relying on an underestimated blanket value for the entire area.