Valuation of social costs connected to urban water management

The economic evaluation of urban water management systems is of considerable importance for investment decisions but also for operating. These assessments should allow today to consider the social costs (none directly charged to the utility), relating to positive or negative externalities associated with the operation and management of a system on the natural and human environment. This approach is reinforced by the development of alternative techniques to networks that offer many benefits for the city and the environment. After recalling briefly the available economic methods, the article offers a first application assessment based on the travel costs method, on a case study in the territory of the Metropolis of Bordeaux. The purpose of this article is not to provide an exhaustive approach to assess the social costs but rather to show the interest of these costs and provide the first tracks of research for their assessment.