This paper establishes water quality improvement scenarios for an area of Pirapama River Basin in Recife Metropolitan Region, Brazil. This scenarios are related to Brazilian water body quality goals (defined by CONAMA Directive number 357/05). Based on those scenarios, pollution control marginal costs are calculated in order to simulate a water effluent system charge according to Brazilian Water Resources Policy (Law nº 9.433/97). The Decision Support System for Integrated Pollution Control (DSS-IPC), developed by the World Bank, was chosen for performing the simulations. The outcomes showed that in the studied area, the river does not comply with CONAMA Directive number 357/05, which establishes Class 2 for the main stream. Secondary and Tertiary treatments are needed to reach such Class and the water effluent system charge presents US$ 320.00/ton as a viable value to be charged.
marginal cost; water resources management; economic instrument
