Decisions are usually made with incomplete and imperfect information. Monitoring with contingencies to reconsider, allow decisions and remedies to proceed, even in cases of high uncertainty. To improve the situation, the remedial action chosen should reduce the total risk. Because workers can be injured or exposed during cleanup activities, it is not always the case that doing more is better than doing less. For example, if the plume is young, it may not be known yet if the contaminant is degrading.
Clean water is an important resource, from economic and other social standpoints.
In risk-informed decision making, cleanup goals relating to health and or socioeconomic risks are set with input from stakeholders representing both local and state concerns. A remedy is selected that balances costs with achieving cleanup goals and improves the situation. Uncertainty in both site characterization and the decision are addressed through monitoring with contingency plans.