Q1 Are you aware of groundwater contamination in your community coming from any of these specific sources?

Q2. Because the rest of this survey concerns only groundwater contamination, it is useful to understand how important you feel cleaning up contaminated groundwater is in comparison to other issues. From least to most concerned how do you rate the issues listed below? Choose the number of the best response for each issue.

Water for residential use can come from many different sources, including rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Groundwater comes from rain and snow that falls on the land and seeps underground. At some depth underground the soil or rock becomes saturated with water, and this water can then be pumped to the surface.

Q3. Does your household get any part of its water from groundwater?

Q4. Sometimes garbage and waste placed in a community's landfill, similar to the one shown on the cover of this survey, can leak out and contaminate groundwater. Does your community have a landfill?

Rainwater seeping through a landfill may dissolve some of the chemicals in the discarded trash. This material, which can be toxic may seep into the water table and contaminate the water below. Once contaminants reach the water table they spread very slowly underground in the direction water is flowing. Many people are surprised to learn that his flow is very very slow; usually less than 100 feet per year. After many years, the landfill may contaminate water drawn by a well supplying water to the citizens of the community.

Q5. Does your community currently draw water from wells which have been or are in danger of being contaminated?

1. No
2. Yes -- Contaminated By a Landfill
3. Yes - Contaminated by Another Source (Please specify)
4. Don't Know

HOW COMMUNITIES CAN RESPOND TO CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER

In the rest of the survey we would like you to consider an imaginary situation. Suppose that you live in a community which has groundwater contamination as the result of a leaking public landfill. Contaminants have been found in groundwater which normally supply 40% of the water used by the community. Contamination covers approximately five acres underground (in an area 700 feet long and 390 feet wide and 25 feet deep). The other 60% of the water supply is from uncontaminated surface water sources. In answering the following questions, you should assume that

The contamination is the result of standard public landfill practices used in the past that were believed to be safe at the time. No private company or party is at fault.

Scientists estimate that drinking contaminated water would increase the risk of cancer, resulting in about 10 additional deaths per million people who drink the water per year (about the same level of risk a typical person has of developing cancer from exposure to routing medical x-rays).

Local government has concluded that the water must not be used for drinking or cooking unless it is treated to remove the contaminants. It could, however, be used as is for such purposes as bathing, washing clothes, or watering lawns.

There are many ways a community might respond to such a groundwater problem For each of the following cleanup options please choose the number indicating how satisfied you are with that solution.

Q6. COMPLETE CLEANUP, The water bills of current users would be increased to pay for a complete groundwater cleanup. An underground concrete wall would be built around the landfill down to the solid rock layer to seal it off from the groundwater. All contaminated water would be pumped up and cleaned. The clean water would be reinjected back underground for use now and in the future. This would benefit your household and future generations by ensuring that about the same amount of clean water is available as before the contamination occurred. How satisfied are you with this option.

Q7. CONTAINMENT. Wells would be drilled in the area to which contaminated groundwater is moving. Contaminated water would be pumped up to stop it from spreading further. This water would be cleaned and pumped back underground into the containment area. This approach does not completely clean up the contamination. Your household would have the same amount of clean water to use since new supply wells would be drilled outside of the containment area. The water bills of current users would be increased to pay for the containment system. Future generations would pay for operation and maintenance costs. How satisfied are you with this option?

Q8. PUBLIC TREATMENT The local government would increase water bills of users to pay for the construction, maintenance and operation of a water treatment plant to remove contaminants from the water as needed. Contaminants would remain in the ground yet never enter the public water supply. Future generations would have to pay for their own treatment costs. How satisfied are you with this option?

Q9. HOME TREATMENT Each household purchases and installs its own charcoal filtration system to remove contaminants before the water is used in the home. These systems typically cost $180 to install and an additional $25 per month for maintenance. How satisfied are you with this option.

Q10. WATER RATIONING The local government would institute a mandatory water conservation program to avoid having to make up the 40% shortfall. The contaminated water would not be cleaned up nor used. Surface water from lakes and streams provides the 60% of available clean water. Water bills would not increase but everyone would have to cut their water use by 40%. Realizing that, on average, households use half of their domestic water outdoors, one third in the bathroom and the rest in the kitchen, how satisfied are you with water rationing as an option.

HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH TO YOU TO COMPLETELY CLEAN UP CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER?

Your answers to the next questions are very important. We do not yet know how much it will cost to clean up contaminated groundwater. However, to make decisions about new groundwater cleanup programs that could cost you money, decision makers want to learn how much clean groundwater is worth to people like you.

Q11. Suppose that the complete cleanup program described in Q6 could be achieved in your imaginary community. What would a complete cleanup program be worth to your household if you faced the hypothetical problem of 40% of your water supply coming from contaminated groundwater as we have described? In answering you should assume that:

The money would be used only in this hypothetical community for sealing off the landfill, cleaning the contaminated water and for purchasing clean water until the cleanup is completed. The cost of the project (unknown at this time) would be spread out over a ten year period.

If the program turns out to cost less than people are willing to pay, each household would only pay a share of what it costs. If it turns out to cost more than people are willing to pay, the program would not be carried out.

Scientists are satisfied that water cleaned and reinjected using these methods will be contaminant-free and safe to drink.

The program would also provide benefits to future generations. New families moving in or just starting out would not have to pay any money to ensure the groundwater they used was clean.

Now, what is the most your household would be willing to pay each month on top of your current water bill for the next 10 years for the complete groundwater cleanup program? (Choose the best response)

Q12. Some people tell us it is difficult to think about paying to reduce just one environmental problem. Would you say that the dollar amount you stated your household would be willing to pay for complete groundwater cleanup (Q11) is: (Choose number)

Q13. About what percent of your dollar amount is just for the stated complete groundwater cleanup program (Choose the percent)

Q14. Of the amount you would pay just for the complete groundwater cleanup program, about what percent would be to ensure

Q15. On a scale from 1 to 7 how responsible would you feel for helping to pay to clean up such a groundwater contamination problem in your community.

HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH TO YOU TO PREVENT FURTHER SPREADING OF CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER

Suppose that a complete groundwater cleanup is not technically possible in your imaginary community. So, your community proposes a CONTAINMENT PROGRAM like that described in Q7 in which groundwater would be contained and isolated and movement of the groundwater would be controlled.

What would a containment program like that described in Q7 be worth to your household if you faced the hypothetical problem of 40% of your water supply coming from contaminated groundwater as we have described? In answering you should assume that:

The money would be used for design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the groundwater containment system. Initial costs for design and construction would be spread out over a ten year period. Future generations would have to pay for their own operation and maintenance costs.

If the program turned out to cost less than people were willing to pay, each household would pay a share of what it cost. If it turned out to cost more than people were willing to pay, the program would not be carried out.

Scientists are satisfied that contaminated groundwater can be contained to prevent further spreading and that groundwater outside this zone would be contaminant-free and safe to drink..

This approach does not completely clean up the existing contaminated groundwater. It prevents the spread of the contamination and will require new wells to be drilled outside of the contaminant zone.

Now, of the dollar amount you would have paid just for complete groundwater cleanup, what percent would you be willing to pay for the containment program described above? (Choose percent)