As groundwater flows through the ground, metals such as iron and manganese are dissolved and may later be found in high concentrations in the water. Industrial discharges, urban activities, agriculture, ground-water pumpage, and disposal of waste all can affect ground-water quality.
Cost-benefit analysis is a relatively straightforward tool for deciding whether to pursue a project. To use the tool, first list all the anticipated costs associated with the project, and then estimate the benefits that you'll receive from it.
All four methods produce estimates of amounts of fixed and variable costs. The ultimate goal of cost estimation is to determine the amount of fixed and variable costs to create a cost formula to be used to predict future costs. The cost formula, or cost equation, is the output of the cost estimation process.