Vol 8, Issue 2 (February 2007)

Need to know

• AMERICAN IPO INCHES AHEAD

  * Two more US states have given their approval for the go-ahead of the American Water IPO.

• CAUVERY STRIKES AGAIN

  * In India, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal finally found against Karnataka state in a judgement handed down at the beginning of February.

• KELDA TWEAKS TERMS

  * Kelda, meanwhile, has tweaked the terms of its sale of Aquarion.

• RASH OF RESULTS

  * Both Suez and Veolia announced their results for the year ending 31 December 2006 at the end of January.

• SUEZ DEBT BUYBACK

  * Suez announced a tender on 15 February to buy back up to €1.25 billion of its outstanding bonds.

• TURKISH BATHS RUN DRY

  * It seems odd that Turkey, the very country Israel was planning to import water from – first via tankers then via a pipeline skirting the seabed of the Levant littoral – is now contemplating what would be not only be the largest RO plant in the world, but the largest desalination plant bar none.

• US BOND BREAKTHROUGH

  * The US Environmental Protection Agency is pushing to remove the cap for private activity bond issuance in order to bring more money into the water and sanitation sector.

• VEOLIA IN ASIA

  * Veolia Water has continued its run of successes in Asia, announcing a trio of new contracts in China, Singapore and Guam.

Analysis

• Energy makes all the difference: desalination operating costs compared - CHART

  This month’s chart, taken from Desalination Markets 2007, shows the relative operating costs of the three major desalination processes.

• Insight – David Lloyd Owen

  Plugging the GAP.

• The Skyway moment

  Christopher Gasson finds grounds for optimism in private water bonds.

General

• A sea of sponsors

  Alison Ireland is overwhelmed by the response to the GWI conference.

• Adapting to life in a new climate

  The recent IPCC report will help water companies fully digest the inconvenient truth which will mould all future resource planning.

• Born and raised in San José

  San José is home to two of the largest investor-owned utilities in the US. Is the city big enough for both of them?

• B&V wins out in Singapore

  A new global design centre is the latest jewel in Black & Veatch’s Asian crown. The company is counting on local talent to help it staff up.

• Compulsory water metering moves up the agenda

  A new report on water stress in England has brought compulsory metering back into the spotlight. Physical implementation remains a long way off.

• Dutch process pushes desal costs to new lows

  A desalination strategy developed in the Netherlands claims to be able to produce industrial water at costs as low as €0.30/m³. The process has yet to prove itself on a large scale.

• Egyptian PPPs come of age

  Plans for a pair of water treatment plants in New Cairo demonstrate that the Egyptians have not lost their penchant for large construction projects.

• GE buys French industrial BOT company

  GE’s Energy Financial Services unit wants to build a $1 billion portfolio of water assets. It has done a deal for a string of plants serving the French food and beverage sector.

• Germany criticised over lacklustre international impact

  A new report emphasises German water companies’ lack of competitive ability when it comes to winning international contracts. Not everyone is convinced.

• Golden growth opportunity

  Golden State Water Company doesn’t just do what its name suggests. CEO Floyd Wicks explains that there’s more to the company than meets the eye.

• Hyflux targets North American membrane market

  Having signed a series of agreements with Marmon Water, the Singapore company is looking to break into the US.

• Managing the big dry – Australia’s water crisis

  Prime minister John Howard is promising to put his money where his mouth is as far as water is concerned. How much of his new water management plan is driven by politics? Max Borchardt reports.

• No need to ask! Queensland’s vote on recycled water

  Queensland is determined not to experience another Toowoomba. Now it has taken matters into its own hands.

• Ofwat a ‘soft touch’ for response to Thames

  MPs have succeeded in ruffling a few feathers at Ofwat by criticising the regulator over its treatment of Thames Water. Will it do any good?

• “Removing disincentives” – the CPUC’s mandate

  California’s regulated utilities have been some of the strongest performers on the stock exchange recently. Much of their strength is related to a new direction at the Public Utilities Commission: the Water Action Plan.

• Saudi privatisation attracts crowds

  Around fifty companies have expressed interest in the Riyadh city management contract. Deputy water minister Loay Al-Musallam is looking forward to a fair and open competition.

• Small cap, big ideas – Southwest Water’s strategic vision

  Southwest Water’s CEO Mark Swatek is focused on unleashing value in his business through internal consolidation. His vision is not restricted to his own boardroom, however.

• Sydney’s water prepares to go to the polls

  With elections looming large, desalination promises to be a central issue at the ballot box in New South Wales.

• Thames refinancing raises leverage questions

  Macquarie has ambitious leverage targets for its new protégé. The outcome of the Kemble loan refinancing could have knock-on effects elsewhere in the sector.

• Victory for private water finance

  The US government is backing legislation that will make tax-exempt finance available to private water projects. It could be the start of something big.

• Yanbu first up for SWCC sell-off

  The proposed 400,000m³/d plant will be bundled with the existing facilities at the site and the next IWPP after Ras Azzour.

Brief

• IN BRIEF – AMERICAS

  * German company Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig (KWL) is targeting the Mexican city of Durango for new business.

• IN BRIEF – ASIA

  * Asia Environment Holdings has clinched a 30-year BOT concession agreement with the Fenhu Government for a wastewater treatment facility in the Fenhu Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu Province.

• IN BRIEF – EUROPE

  * Gelsenwasser has extended a concession contract with the German city of Castrop-Rauxel, giving it the exclusive right to use public rights of way for water supply pipelines for another 20 years.

• IN BRIEF – MIDDLE EAST

  * Sacyr subsidiary Valoriza has formed a strategic alliance with Abu Dhabi-based holding company ADGECO Group.

Companies

• MENA machine – Saur’s international ambitions

  Its venture capitalist owners looking to sell Saur, what does the future hold for its international division?

Market insight

• Celebrating the best of the best

  The complete list of companies and projects which have been shortlisted for this year\'s Global Water Awards.

• Dawning of a new dynasty

  Nobody can deny that the opportunities in the Chinese desalination market are manifold. GWI’s new Market Access report shows that taking advantage of them is a matter of selective strategy and prudent preparation.