给水

从水管流出的水

Why only focusing on water’s current cost is a mistake
为什么只关注水资源的当前成本是错误的

We increasingly hear about the disconnect between the cost and value of water. This is a real issue as all too often the cost of water is used in decision-making for investing in water projects in the areas of efficiency and reuse and recycling.
我们听到越来越多关于水资源成本与水资源价值之间脱节的说法。这是一个非常现实的问题，因为在高效率、再利用和循环领域，水资源成本经常用于涉水工程的投资决策。

This approach can lead to short-sighted decisions in addressing water-related business risks. Simply put, the value of water exceeds its cost. Companies should understand the value of water to address long-term, water-related risks.
这种脱节的做法会导致企业在应对与水资源相关的商业风险时做出目光短浅的决策。简而言之，水资源的价值超过水资源的成本。企业应该了解水资源的价值，以解决长期的与水资源相关的风险。

There are several key principles in understanding the economic value of water and the costs associated with provisioning water. The cost of water consists of both direct and indirect costs. The value of water is derived from the use of water and affected by factors such as quality and the reliability of supply.
了解水资源的经济价值和供水成本有几个关键的原则，水资源成本由直接成本和间接成本组成。水资源的价值来源于水的使用价值，并受到水质、供水可靠性等影响。

A few definitions are provided below for context from “Water as a Social and Economic Good: How to Put Principle into Practice.”
“水资源作为一种社会和经济商品：如何从理论走向实践”这篇文章定义了水资源的全供应成本、全经济成本和水资源的价值，详见如下：

• Full supply cost: The full supply cost includes the costs associated with the supply of water to a consumer without consideration of the externalities nor alternative uses of water. Full supply costs consist of operation and maintenance costs and capital costs.
•全供应成本：包含为用户供水的相关成本，但不考虑水资源的外部效应或水资源的其它用途。

• Full economic cost: The sum of the full supply cost and the opportunity cost associated with the alternative use of the same water resource and the economic externalities imposed upon others due to the consumption of water by a specific user.
• 全经济成本：全供应成本、相同水资源其它用途的机会成本以及特殊用户强加给他人的经济外部效应成本之和。

• Value of water: The value of water depends on the use and user. Components are economic value and intrinsic value (such as stewardship) of water.
• 水资源的价值：水资源的价值取决于水资源的用途和水资源的使用者，由水资源的经济价值和内在价值(如水资源管理)组成。

• Other issues for consideration include the effects of reliability of water supply on cost and value of water.
• 其它需考虑的问题包括供水可靠性对水资源成本和水资源价值的影响。

Often companies only consider the current cost of water without factoring in how water is used (value of water) and what a loss of water would mean to their business operations.
很多企业通常只考虑水的当前成本而忽略水资源如何使用(水的价值)以及水资源的损失对商业运作意味着什么。

Water-related risks are typically framed as: physical risks (not having the volume and quality when and where it is needed); regulatory risks (changes in public policy, regulations and costs); and reputational risks (stakeholders’ view of how a company manages water).
具有代表性的与水资源相关危机为：物理风险(当一个地区需要水时没有足够的水量和水质)；管控风险(公共政策、条例和水价的调整)；信誉危机(利益相关者如何看待水务公司)。

By considering and quantifying these risk dimensions, companies can determine business value at risk and, in turn, devise a strategy to mitigate these risks. This strategy can include investment in technologies to increase water efficiency and reuse, as well as watershed level efforts, such as wetlands protection and water storage.
通过分析和量化这些风险纬度，企业能够确定水资源商业风险价值，反过来制定减缓风险的策略。这些策略包括在科技领域投资以提高水资源利用效率和再利用率，以及在流域层面上开展如湿地保护和水资源储蓄等方面的协作。

As part of this evaluation of business value at risk, companies also can build in an internal (shadow) cost for water. This internal cost can be developed by considering current local cost of water increased to reflect local scarcity conditions.
作为商业风险价值评估的一部分，企业也可以为水资源构建一个内部（影子）成本。可以通过分析当前本地水资源成本增加情况反应当地水资源缺乏的状况来构建内部成本。

Increasingly companies are moving from water scarcity mapping to developing a deeper understanding of potential business impacts as a way to build and implement a water stewardship strategy. This water risk evaluation is also being built into enterprise-wide risk management programs.
越来越多的公司正从绘制水资源短缺图转向深入了解水资源缺失对商业的潜在影响，以此作为一种建立和实施水资源管理策略的方法。这样的水风险评估方法也被纳入企业整体风险管理计划。

By valuing water, companies can be in a better position to understand potential impacts to their business across the value chain and develop strategies to mitigate water-related risk.
通过对水资源价值评估，企业能够更好地了解水资源对整个商业价值链的潜在影响，并制定策略减缓与水资源相关的危机。

Merely looking at the current cost for water may not capture the complete water risk picture for your company.
仅关心当前的水资源成本或许企业还不能完全了解水资源风险的全貌。

来源：Why only focusing on water’s current cost is a mistake

作者：Will Sarni

Will Sarni

Founder and CEO of Water Foundry

作者(Will Sarni)为纪念2013年世界水资源日，GreenBiz官方网站发布了《Liquid Assets》月刊专栏,用于探讨水资源的商业问题以及在当今日益受限环境中企业应对与水相关风险的方法。

《Liquid Assets》月刊专栏网址:《Liquid Assets》