Nitrate Risk Management under Uncertainty

Abstract

In many areas throughout the United States, ground‐water supplies are contaminated by nitrates. Nitrate contamination has been a subject of concern because nitrate salts can induce infant methemoglobinemia and possibly cancer. Nitrate risk management describes the process of evaluating risk‐management strategies and selecting the best management scheme. Available nitrate risk‐management strategies can be investigated based on the acceptable level of human health risk, the reasonableness of the nitrate‐control cost, and the technical feasibility of each nitrate‐control method. However, the objectives of the risk reduction and cost are in conflict. In addition, each phase of the risk, cost, and technical‐feasibility assessment is associated with uncertainty. In this study, a multicriterion decisionmaking methodology is provided to assist decision makers in determining, with uncertain information, which of the nitrate risk‐management strategies best satisfies the considerations of health risk, cost, and technical feasibility.