Id
Αsopos
Sample:
Athens
A Choice Experiment Survey for Valuing Improvements
in Asopos River Basin District
Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is ..... and I am a PhD student from Athens
University of Economics and Business. We're conducting a survey, funded by the National
Bank of Greece, the Hellenic Postbank and Andreas Papandreou Foundation, about people’s
preferences on improvements on environmental quality of Asopos catchment including its
estuary, Oropos wetland and the wider coastal zone. Would you be interested in participating
in the survey answering some questions? The answers you give will be completely
confidential; the survey is addressed to all the residents of the area and you were chosen
randomly. Please remember that there are no right or wrong questions.
Quotas
Ε.1
Gender:
Male ....................................
Female ................................
Ε.2
1
2
Age:
Code

Less than 15 ....................
15 -24 ..............................
25-39 ...............................
40-54 ...............................
55-64 ...............................
65-79 ...............................
80 over 5+ .......................
Refused ............................
Ε.3
1 Do not continue
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 Do not continue
Occupation by sector of economy
Primary sector
Secondary sector
Services
Unemployed
Housewife, student, pensioner
1
2
3
4
5
Page | 1
SECTION A: GENERAL ATTITUDES AND ACTIVITIES
Q1. Do you visit any of the following areas for recreation? If yes, for which activity?
Activity
Oropos lagoon
Asopos’ estuary
Coastal zone
I don’t visit any of these areas




Q2. How would you describe today, the general environmental condition in the area of
Asopos (river, coastline, Oropos wetland)?
Very good
Good
Moderate
Bad
Very bad





Q3. Do you currently use water from the area for (Residents of Asopos only):
Yes
No
Drinking
Cooking
Washing
Watering the garden
Watering the fields
Other
Don’t know
Q4. From your point of view are there any negative impacts from pollution in Asopos
related to the …
Yes
No
Don’t
know
Health of the local residents
Health of other residents of the country
Ecosystem of the area
Broader ecosystem
Local economy
Some other impact that has not been mentioned here; __________________________
Page | 2
Q5. Do you think that an intervention for the improvement of the wider area of Asopos
(river, coastline, Oropos wetland) due to pollution would be:
Absolutely necessary
Necessary enough
Somewhat necessary
Not necessary at all
Q6. When you are thinking of the current situation in Asopos how strong are the positive or
negative emotions that prevail. Please state using the following scale from -5 (very
negative) to +5 (very positive).
-5
-4
Very
negative
-3
-2
-1
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
Very
positive
SECTION B: VALUATION SCENARIO OF RIVER’S CHARACTERISTICS
Eastern river basin district is one of the 14 basin districts of the country. Asopos catchement
is one of the 3 catchments of that basin district. Its catchment covers an area of 724 km2 and
is formed by Eliona and Kithairona. It crosses Viotia and Attiki and particularly Sikamino,
Oropo, Schimatari and Inofita and flows into Evoikos Gulf, having a West to East direction
(please show the map). In Asopos estuary and nearby wetland of Oropos, which is the second
most important wetland of Attiki, the bird wildlife is particularly important. The wetland is
habitat of more than 140 bird species, many of which are protected by legislation.
Furthermore, the area is an important migratory passage which makes it even more important
if we think that it is one of the remaining wetlands of Attiki. In addition, the coastal zone is
also an important destination for recreational activities.
Currently, the social, economic and ecological significance of the area is under pressure as a
result of industrial, urban and agricultural activities as well as due to climate change.
Furthermore, Greece faces sanctions for not complying with European water related
legislation. In order to improve matters and face these issues, measures need to be taken, in
the wider area of Asopos, for the:




Protection of public health (e.g. providing direct access to drinkable water)
Limitation and hault of pollution (e.g. through the establishment of standards for
water and emissions from industry)
Spatial planning of the industrial area Inofata-Schimatari and protection of Asopos
river (e.g. through planning of industrial activity and construction of a central
wastewater treatment unit as well as the cleaning and mapping of Asopos)
Enforcement of the measures (e.g, through a constitutional framework)
Page | 3
However, these measures need to be financed. In this survey an increase in the tri-monthly
water bill to all residents of the area, is suggested, for the years 2012 to 2027 (next 15 years).
Money will be collected in a fund run by an organisation specifically established for the
improvement and conservation of Asopos’ catchment. An independent body such as EU will
assure that money will be spent for that purpose.
For the purposes of this study, we think about degradation in the area in terms of three
characteristics:
The first characteristic of this degradation is related to the environmental conditions of the
area. The relevant card presents the situation in case that no measures take place as well as
the possible improvements after intervention. (The card should be described in detail and
interviewer should allow time for the respondent to read through again herself. Also keep it
in front of the respondent during the whole time of the interview).
The second characteristic of the degradation is the impact on local economy. The relevant
card presents the fields that suffer as well as the improvements if measures take place. (The
card should be described in detail and interviewer should allow time for the respondent to
read through again herself. Also keep it in front of the respondent during the whole time of
the interview).
Finally, the third characteristic of the degradation is located in the field of human health.
The current situation in Asopos has made in many cases the use of water not suitable for
drinking, cooking and irrigation.
(All cards as well as the map should be kept in front of the respondent during the whole
interview)
Soon you will be presented with twelve cards. In each card different combinations of the
above characteristics are shown describing how the situation might change in the future if
actions are to be taken to improve matters. In all twelve cards you will be asked to make
some choices as described in the following example.
Example of a Choice Card
Option
A
Option
B
Option
C
Option
D
Option
E
Environmental
condition
Bad
Bad
Good
Bad
Moderate
Impact on local
economy
Negative
today
Improved
by 2015
Positive
by 2027
Improved
by 2015
Negative
today
Page | 4
Drinking
Cooking
Irrigation
Drinking
Cooking
Irrigation
Drinking
Cooking
Irrigation
Drinking
Cooking
Irrigation
Drinking
Cooking
Irrigation
Cost
(Tri-monthly water
bill per household
for the next 15
years)
0
4
6
6
4
1. Which option do
you prefer most?





2. Which option do
you prefer least?















Human health
3. Which one from
the three
remaining do you
prefer most?
4. Which one from
the two remaining
do you prefer
least?






Please take your time to examine the five different alternative options (A to E) and
indicate the best and the worst alternative. In every case, please make each choice as
if alternatives were the only one available.
Then repeat the exercise and show the best alternative among the remaining three and
the worst alternative among the remaining two.
In all cards option Α represents the current situation and is repeated. It never involves
a payment for your household.
However, choosing Options B, C, D or E would mean an improvement and a cost to
your household for the next 15 years.
For example Option B represents an option which would lead to a situation where
local economy improves by 2015 and water in the area is suitable for drinking,
cooking, irrigation and in general for all uses. In that case, the tri-monthly water bill
of your household would increase by four euro for the next 15 years.
Which would be your choices in that card?
You will now be presented with a series of similar choice sets. As you reply to the questions
please:
Page | 5
-Remember to consider each of the twelve choice cards separately and the options presented
as if they are real and the only ones available.
-There are no wrong or right answers. We are just interested in your opinion.
-If you think that the amount of money involved with an improvement is too much, simply
choose the Option A.
-Consider your household’s income, your expenses, other similar rivers in Greece as well as
the payments that you may do or wish to do for other environmental goods and services.
Block
Option Option Option Option Option
Card 1
A
B
C
D
E
1. Which option do you prefer most?





2. Which option do you prefer least?





3. Which one from the three remaining
do you prefer most?





4. Which one from the two remaining do
you prefer least?





....
SECTION C: FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
Q7. To which degree the following factors affected the way you made your choices in the 12
cards above?
1Not
all
2at Very
little
3Moderat
ely
4Enough
5Very
much
The height of cost
Improvements in the
environment
Improvements in the local
economy
Improvements in health
My emotions for the current
situation
Page | 6
Q8. Are there any other reasons for which you are not willing to pay for improving Asopos’
catchment? Please, explain.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
SECTION D: SOCIO – ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.
Q9. Age _________
Q10. Number of household members____________
Q11. Number of children____________
Q12. Educational level:
Q13. Occupational level:
Without high school degree

High school

University

Post graduate

Other
________________
Full time employed
Part time employed
Student
Retired
Unemployed
Other _________________





Q14. Your occupation is related to: (for Asopos residents)
Agricultural sector in the area
Industrial sector in the area
Tourism
None of these
Q15. Residence:
Owned
Rented






Q16.1. Do you have a residence in Asopos area? (for Athens residents)
Yes  No 
Q16.2. If Yes is it:
Main residence

Page | 7
Second residence/Country home

Q16.2. Is your residence in Asopos area? (for Asopos residents)
Main residence

Second residence/Country home

Q17. Monthly household income before tax in 2010.
Less than € 700
€ 701-1000
€ 1001-1500
€ 1501-2000
€ 2001-2500
€ 2501-3000
€ 3001-3500
€ 3501-4000
€ 4001-5000
Over €5000
Don’t know











Q18. Town of residence ______________________
Q19. County______________________
Thank you for your time and your effort in completing this questionnaire!
Page | 8
Asopos catchment and land use
Page | 9