An economic analysis of using wetlands for treatment of shrimp processing wastewater ラ a case study in Dulac, LA

Two crucial environmental problems in Louisiana are high rates of wetland loss and surface water pollution. Using wetlands for wastewater treatment can address both of these concerns by reducing the amount of pollutant discharge into surface water bodies while simultaneously serving to restore and replenish deteriorating marshes by enhancing productivity and accretion. Using wetlands for wastewater assimilation can also result in considerable cost savings when compared with conventional, non-wetlands wastewater treatment options. In order to determine these cost savings in a specific case, an avoided cost economic analysis was performed for two potential wastewater treatment options for a shrimp processor in Dulac, LA: (1) conventional, on-site treatment with dissolved air flotation (DAF); and (2) wetland treatment. Annualized costs for DAF implementation are :$208 000/year for 25 years. Wetland treatment costs around 25% of DAF with an annual cost of :$63 000. Yearly savings would be almost $150 000. This is a capitalized cost savings of over $1.5 million. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.