Efficiency in water quality control for the Wilamette River

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, P.L. 92-500, requires tertiary treatment of all effluent by 1983; Oregon State policy focuses on maintaining future effluent discharges at a level no greater than current levels. The Federal and State policies are combined in planning for the future management of the quality of the Willamette River. As a consequence, the Willamette will be clean-too clean- and the economic inefficiency inherent in the water quality control plan will cause misallocation of public resources. This misallocation could be avoided by incorporating economic principles, especially cost comparisons and the consideration of alternative procedures, into the water quality plan.