Vol 12, Issue 5 (May 2011)

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Need to know

  • EUROPEAN BATTLES

    Anne Le Strat, the deputy Mayor of Paris responsible for water, tells GWI that bringing the capital’s water supply under public control was a “political choice”.

  • OTHER OBSTACLES

    Conagua of Mexico is keen to talk up its achievements in privatisation following the completion of the Atotonilco WWTP.

  • MEMBRAINS

    BASF seems to disagree with Pentair’s assessment that Norit X-Flow is “the last high-quality membrane filtration company that is actionable.”

  • DESAL POTENTIAL

    Those worried by reports that Israel will have too much desalination capacity by 2014 can be reassured by the latest report from Israel’s National Planning Council.

  • CONCEDING VICTORY

    While the concessions business may have quietened in the last year for aqualia, things are heating up elsewhere in the world, particularly in developing markets.

Analysis

General

  • Paris defends re-municipalisation record

    Anne Le Strat, Paris’ deputy mayor responsible for water, acknowledges that bringing the city’s water supply under public control was foremost “a political choice”– but remains convinced that government can offer more savings.

  • Ex-SEDIF towns could buy at net cost

    Eau de Paris is negotiating a deal with a nearby municipality to purchase water at cost price. Other towns could soon follow suit, says Le Strat.

  • Veolia gears up for legal battle over French contract

    Montbéliard council is determined to end its water services contract with Veolia before term, prompting the company to threaten legal action. Is this a sign of things to come in the French municipal sector?

  • Global markets take the strain for aqualia

    The Spanish company’s international focus has become even more important as the domestic market has foundered.

  • UK water bounces back ahead of results

    With annual results season looming, market sentiment continues to improve as concerns over regulation recede.

  • New regulator props up privatisation drive

    Italy’s new water watchdog has been formed, just as an upcoming referendum could outlaw full cost recovery tariffs.

  • Spain in last-chance saloon on wastewater treatment

    Spain faces heavy fines if it fails to bring wastewater treatment up to scratch, warns the European court of justice.

  • Mexico sings the praises of private water projects

    National water body Conagua says the success of the Atotonilco plant is a testament to the benefits of privatisation. Will the electorate agree in 2012?

  • NanoH2O launches the membrane revolution

    After winning Water Technology Idol at the 2008 Global Water Summit, the nano-engineered membrane maker has been on the fast track to commercialisation. What will the membrane market's big boys do to respond to this?

  • How do NanoH2O’s membranes work?

    Hydrophilic tunnels that draw the water molecules through are the key

  • Marcellus attracts mobile solutions, at a cost

    Pennsylvania’s call for new Marcellus shale regulations could force the industry towards adopting new technology

  • EPA wastewater mandates challenged by new congressman

    A newly elected New Hampshire Republican wants to postpone wastewater treatment upgrades worth hundreds of millions. Municipalities are keen to avoid the expenditure, and claim wastewater is not the main problem.

  • New Abu Rawash bidders face nervous wait

    Egypt’s privatisation body is making huge efforts to keep its privately-financed wastewater plans alive in the midst of unprecedented political turmoil. The uncertain economic climate makes 2011 a white-knuckle year for bidders.

  • Utico leading the pack for Ghalilah SWRO

    The local firm has emerged with the best offer for the EPC contract in the Middle East, ahead of a host of larger international competitors. Will its strong regional track record be enough to make it the winning bidder?

  • WWTP opening boosts foreign hopes in Iran

    The huge wastewater treatment plant recently completed in South Tehran did not mark a national financial change, as its backers hoped. Despite the difficult financial history, the project can now serve as a model for the future.

  • Finding a private solution to underinvestment

    Iran is looking to tap the stock market, among other methods, to bring in money for its water supply companies, and satisfying long-running privatisation goals. As always, subsidy of the water sector is a major stumbling block.

  • Saur forms O&M JV in Saudi Arabia

    The company will work together with part-private utility Marafiq in the first contract of its type in the Kingdom. It will be the first test of a model that Saudi’s water planners eventually want to see in place across the country.

  • New Turkish body could promote water PPPs

    The government plans to bring together its disparate privatisation laws in one piece of legislation – with the water sector set to be a prime beneficiary. The success of the change will depend on the outcome of this year’s election.

  • Israel to build five new desal plants by 2050

    The country has long-term plans to increase its desalination capacity more than five times over in the coming decades by building new plants. Environmental campaigners will be the key opposition to the expansion scheme.

  • Water in ‘start-up nation’

    Tom Scotney looks at how Israel is bridging the commercialisation gap for new technology companies in the water sector.

  • Chinese desal: their targets, your technology

    China has renewed its focus on investing in increasing its desalination capacity. Foreign companies could face a struggle to maintain their dominant position in the long term, argues Kathy Liu.

  • Making do with the crumbs

    In the second of a two-part column, Charles Bodhi reviews engineering firms’ responses to the tightening of the Chinese membrane market.

  • Enterprising public utilities compete on new terrain

    Vietnam’s water sector reforms are allowing newly corporatised water companies to expand in unexpected ways.

  • Mounting costs of Australia infrastructure plans

    Investors in Australia’s water sector can look forward to a greater emphasis on pricing efficiencies, say new reports.

Brief

  • AMERICA WATER IN BRIEF

    Pennsylvania will spend $134 million on water and wastewater infrastructure, the PENNVEST Board announced on 20 April.

  • MIDDLE EAST WATER IN BRIEF

    Abu Dhabi’s national energy company, TAQA, saw income from its power and water division rise 13% to AED1.7 billion ($453 million) year-on-year in the first quarter of 2011.

  • ASIA WATER IN BRIEF

    Aquatech has been awarded an EPC contract for a 10,000m3/d waste and sewage treatment and recycling project for the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai, using a combination of SBR (CASS) technology, ultrafiltration and RO.

Companies

  • BASF moves into membranes with inge deal

    The chemicals giant has carved off a slice of the super-competitive low-pressure membrane business. The challenge is on to make an impact in a market that is getting more competitive, and looks to be heading towards consolidation.

  • Águas do Brasil targets industrial market

    Thiago d’Orsi, director of Brazil’s largest private water and sanitation company, Grupo Águas do Brasil, talks to GWI about its future and plans for growth, particularly in the industrial market.

  • Industrial client has bigger fish to fry

    A wastewater treatment contract in which SAAB assumes environmental liability for a fish-canning factory could point to a new area for growth.

GWI Water Index

Market Profile

  • The accelerating water cycle

    How will climate change affect the water cycle? Adapated from a keynote speech at the Global Water Summit in Berlin by Prof. Jay Famiglietti, Director of the University of California Centre for Hydrological Modelling