Is the upgrading of wastewater treatment facilities to meet more stringent standards economically justified: The case of Israel

The global use of wastewater for irrigation in agriculture is increasing, as are the requirements for more stringent wastewater treatment standards, to prevent environmental and health risks. The aim of this paper is to display a cost-benefit analysis of introducing more stringent standards for wastewater treatment in Israel, and to examine whether upgrading the wastewater treatment facilities is economically justified. The findings indicate that the introduction of the stringent standards as well as upgrading the treatment facilities are economically justified.