UNESCO estimates that over 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. Trillions of gallons of water leak out of aging U.S. water infrastructure systems each year. Water systems servicing about 50% of the U.S. population have detectable levels of PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”
As the world continues to contend with widespread water-related problems, exacerbated by population growth and climate change, the need for solutions has become more pressing.
In a report from William Blair’s Brian Drab, CFA, partner, and co-group head of industrials, and Trevor Sahr, senior equity research associate, potential solutions to global water infrastructure challenges, as well as companies actively developing and delivering solutions, are discussed. Key highlights include:
- The array of solutions to identify and repair water infrastructure; our analysts believe the market for water industry solutions exceeds $500 billion and is growing at a mid- to high-single-digit rate
- The global water and wastewater treatment market, which our analysts peg at $340 billion to $380 billion, growing 6% to 7% annually
- A comprehensive overview of the agricultural irrigation industry, which accounts for about 70% of freshwater use globally
- Evolving regulatory frameworks and funding requirements, as billions of people still lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation
Dozens of companies are urgently working to develop technologies to address the problems presented in this report, as governments worldwide are increasingly acknowledging the risks they pose to public health, economic development, and population sustainability. William Blair’s industrial technology team expects further adoption of relevant technologies as they become increasingly energy-efficient and economical and government funding is deployed to address these problems.
For more information on the companies from Brian Drab’s coverage list, please contact us or your William Blair representative.