Production Costs, Inefficiency, and Source Water Quality: A Stochastic Cost Frontier Analysis of Canadian Water Utilities
用随机成本前沿方法分析加拿大市政水处理设施的数据，发现水源浊度显著影响生产成本，但成本效率在不同地区、技术和浊度水平间无显著差异。
This analysis employs a stochastic cost frontier to estimate relationships between source water quality, production costs, and cost efficiency in Canadian municipal water treatment facilities. Data for the analysis are obtained primarily from a census of water providers that contains detailed information on operational costs, source water quality, and treatment technologies. Results show water quality, as measured by turbidity, is a significant determinant of production costs. The estimated elasticity for turbidity is 0.1, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.06 to 0.14. We find no significant differences in cost efficiency across regions, treatment technologies, output, or turbidity levels. <i></i>