Conventional wastewater treatment produces only costs. It depends on taxes or company expenditures to keep running. On the other hand, wastewater recycling has costs, but these are offset by revenues and services which conventional treatment often does not provide.

Here are the main parts to valuing wastewater recycling:


3.1. Fees charged by state water agencies for sewage treatment reflect the state's estimate of the cost to provide such a service, thus the value to the state for receiving treated water.


3.2. Market values of products produced from wastewater recycling sites show the value of sites to the local community.


3.3. Estimates of the value of ecosystem services, such as soil improvement, shows how much nature's services are worth to the site operator and the regional/national economy.


3.4. SUMMARY CALCULATION OF COSTS AND BENEFITS.