Valuing water quality advisories and beach amenities in the Great Lakes

This paper presents estimates of the value of reducing beach advisories in Great Lakes beaches located along Lake Erie's shoreline in Ohio. Given the potential health consequences associated with swimming in contaminated wate r, health officials have made more effort in recent years to ensure that in formation about beach advisories is available through the media and other s ources. A recent survey of over 800 single-day beach visitors during the su mmer of 1998 found that nearly two thirds of visitors take advantage of thi s information when making decisions about their beach trips. When accountin g for this information in a travel cost model, we find that the average (ac ross all visitors) seasonal benefits of reducing one advisory is approximat ely $28 per visitor. Individuals who use the media in advance of trips gain less, approximately $24 per year, while those who use only signs posted at the beach would gain more, $38 per year.