Vol 6, Issue 10 (October 2005)

Need to know

• FRENCH ADVENTURES

  Suez may be leaving Argentina (see story, p14), but it hasn’t given up on Latin America altogether.

• GO ON, TREAT YOURSELF

  September saw a stream of new wastewater development plans announced by Chinese cities and provinces alike, all with the promise that treatment targets will be met on or ahead of schedule.

• INDIAN SUMMER

  The World Bank is getting worried about the outlook for the Indian water sector.

• MOVERS AND SHAKERS

  First-ranked Shoaiba bidder ACWA Power was among the companies to submit SOQs for Shuqaiq.

• OPENINGS

  Two significant new desal plants opened for business last month: Tuas in Singapore and Ashkelon in Israel.

• RUSSIAN ROULETTE

  Russian municipal services mogul Russian Communal Systems (RKS) has been sending mixed messages about its intentions in the market.

• SAVING WATER

  The Dubai Electricity & Water Authority’s Branly Nassour said that Dubai was targeting the reduction of unaccounted-for water to 8% by 2010 (see story, p15).

Analysis

• Buy sludge!

  Where can you find value water stocks?

• Insight - David Lloyd Owen

  Come on in, the reclaimed water’s lovely.

• On skid row

  Did Veolia miss a trick selling USFilter?

• The bigger fish to fry

  Why do GE and Siemens value the industrial water business so highly?

General

• Asian water stocks come into focus

  Where is the action in the quoted Asian water sector?

• East Surrey remains in the balance

  The Takeover Panel hasn’t decided on whether to force Terra Firma to go ahead with its bid for East Surrey Holdings. Meanwhile, other investors are busily accumulating shares.

• High valuations dampen merger hopes

  UK correspondent Andrew Cavenagh looks at how the long expected M&A boom has failed to materialise.

• Last rites for Aguas Argentinas

  As the European water companies leave Latin America, who will fill their spaces? Daniel Nolasco reports.

• No competition for €2bn Madrid contract

  Canal Isabel II takes over Madrid’s sewerage and water treatment by the back door. Not everyone is happy.

• Privatisation debate reaches Switzerland

  The municipality of Emmen wants to corporatise its water utility. Opponents of the plan suggest it is the first step towards privatisation.

• Saudi IWPPs remain on track

  Shoaiba is running according to plan, reports WEC, while Shuqaiq has attracted considerable interest from the market.

• Thames’ Chilean business goes to Southern Cross

  RWE’s subsidiary is out of Chile nursing a $260 million loss.

• UFW comes under the microscope

  A conference last month took the unusual step of discussing unaccounted-for water, traditionally something of a taboo subject in the region. There are signs that wastage is being taken very seriously by the public water agencies.

• UU and Northumbrian go index linked

  The bond market is lapping up the water sector’s offerings.

• Water stocks: froth, bubbles and sludge

  The Stanford Washington Research Group is sceptical about recent market trends.

Companies

• Radke’s roll-out: Siemens in China

  China is top of the list for Siemens’ international strategy.

• Siemens keeps a cool head

  USFilter has been renamed Siemens Water Technologies. CEO Roger Radke tells GWI his strategy for the group. He has drawn some surprising conclusions.

Market insight

• A sudden spurt in pumps market

  The water pumps market is growing and, as Gordon Cope discovers, some sectors are growing very fast.

• Pumping equipment in the desalination industry

  Gerry Ashe, general manager of Torishima Pump Ltd, explains the technical challenges in building pumps for desalination. See: <b>A sudden spurt in pumps market</b>