A detailed look at the water industry and the trends that can lead to investment opportunities

Water has quickly grown into a big global business, with annual revenues in the United States alone reaching over $200 billion. In the years ahead, companies as well as governments must find innovative ways to address important issues within this field without sacrificing basic needs, such as safety of drinking water or the reliability of water for energy production. Nobody understands this better than author Neil Grigg, a forty-year veteran of the water industry, and now, with Water Finance, he shares his extensive experience with you.

Most of the water business operates under the radar, but with this reliable resource, Grigg shines a bright light on this essential area and offers comprehensive coverage of the public responsibilities and private opportunities associated with it. While Water Finance does contain many facts and figures, it also takes the time to pull together the various aspects of water, going far beyond water as just a commodity, to skillfully explain it as the integrated business that it is.

• Opens with a detailed discussion of the water industry before turning its focus to water handling, which includes water supply, wastewater, industrial water, storm water, irrigation and drainage, and instream flows
• Reveals the different driving forces, and issues, surrounding the water industry such as government involvement, privatization, law and regulations, financial structure, water and health, and workforce capacity
• Offers insights on water industry business, careers, and investments

Organized around the idea that the water business is about all aspects of handling water, from the global environment to your tap, Water Finance contains the information you need to succeed in this dynamic field.

New feature

Praise for WATER FINANCE

"Neil Grigg provides a very accessible overview of the many players involved in water and their many connections. His concept of 'water handlers' helps bring some order to the water business—an excellent introduction for all those interested in the 'business of water.'"
—Frank Rijsberman, Director, Water, Sanitation, and HygieneBill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Development Program

"If you want to really understand the big picture of the drinking water business, this is the book to read. Neil's four decades of experience working and volunteering in the water community—from the water source all the way to the customer's tap—help the reader to understand the intricacies and challenges of business management at the global and local level. Not only does Neil's writing style speak to the business community, but his writing reaches out and touches the women and men on the front line of providing reliable and safe drinking water to the public."
—Robert C. Renner, Executive Director, Water Research Foundation

"Dr. Grigg provides an expansive discussion of the complex framework and issues related to water management in a world where water availability will have critical influence on our future lifestyles and the environment that surrounds our cities and farms, as well as cultural and recreational uses. He adroitly recognizes that the current lack of political will and a cogent framework in which a reasonable balance between competing interests is a limiting factor in transitioning past practices to those that will be required in an increasingly resource-constrained twenty-first Century."
—Peter D. Binney, PE, Director, Sustainable Infrastructure, Merrick & Company

"Water is a commodity and a natural resource. In Water Finance, Neil Grigg delves into the dual nature of our water conveyance systems, introducing the reader to the 'business of water' and outlining the separate facets that make water resource management different and more complex than just a commodity industry."
—Elizabeth Cutright, Editor, Water Efficiency magazine

"This interesting book is a must for water sector academics, professionals, and decision-makers. Many related graphs by the author are very illustrative and explain the major messages and views. Although there is emphasis on the U.S., there are also many examples from other parts of the global village."
—Tapio S. Katko, Adjunct Professor, Tampere University of Technology, Finland

Part I: Structure of the Water Business. Chapter 1: Water for People and the Environment. Chapter 2: A Model of the Water Business. Chapter 3: Dams and Reservoirs for Multiple Purposes. Chapter 4: The Water Supply Utility Business. Chapter 5: The Wastewater and Water Quality Business. Chapter 6: Stormwater and Flood Control. Chapter 7: Industrial Water and the Water-energy Nexus. Chapter 8: Water for Food Production. Chapter 9: Instream Flows: Competing for Water in the Commons. Part II: Driving Forces and Issues in the Water Industry. Chapter 10: Drivers of Change in the Water Industry. Chapter 11: Government and Politics in the Water Business. Chapter 12: Financing the Water Industry. Chapter 13: Public Health as a Water Industry Driver. Chapter 14: Law and Regulation in the Water Industry. Chapter 15: Water Industry Workforce: Crisis and Opportunity. Chapter 16: Private Sector Operations in the Water Industry. Part III: Water Industry Businesses, Careers, and Investments. Chapter 17: Constructing Water Industry Infrastructure. Chapter 18: Services to Support the Water Industry. Chapter 19: Equipment for the Water Industry. Chapter 20: Commodity Water: Transfers, Exchanges, and Water Banks. Chapter 21: Bottled Water and Point-of-use Treatment. Chapter 22: Safe Water For All: The Ultimate Water Business. Chapter 23: Water Investments, Careers, and Business Opportunities. Acronyms. References. About the Author. Index.