A Water Strategy
Different consulting outfits have determined that by 2025 two-thirds of the global population will experience water stress. A shortage situation always breeds investment opportunities; in this case we see potential for different aspects of water infrastructures. Positive prospects will open up in utilities, power generation, desalination of sea water and in manufacturing of pumps, valves, and electronics needed to move the liquid commodity.
The global water market in 2023 is estimated to be approximately $655 billion. The major segments in the water industry include water utilities, water treatment technologies, water infrastructures, water efficiency improvement and water monitoring.
Growth in the water sector is estimated to continue unabated. For example, the wastewater treatment market is projected to grow from 2023 to 2030 at a CAGR of 7.5%. Over the same period, the global bottled water market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9%.
Worldwide urban water demand is expected to increase by 80% by 2050 according to a study by the UN.
Companies globally are beginning to seize opportunities to accelerate progress on water security. A 2022 study by nonprofit agency CDP shows that global brands report water related opportunities worth in excess of $400 billion. The same report also highlights how firms integrating water into their business strategy face 4x more opportunities.
Water usage varies dramatically from country to country but the trend over the long term is converging; Americans use approximately 150 gallons of water per day, while the Chinese use only 23 gallons but growing. India, for instance, expects their water needs to double in the next ten years. Globally, 71% of water consumption is dedicated to agriculture, while 16% goes to industry.
“Beating the Coming Water Shortage” a report by Fortune, highlights the average quantities of water required to manufacture simple everyday items:
- Cup of coffee: 71 gallons
- Pair of jeans: 2906 gallons
- A prime steak: 1857 gallons
- A car: 104,000 gallons
At THALASSA CAPITAL LLC we are determined to position ourselves ahead of the curve and have built a long term investing framework designed to capture such opportunities. We utilize a Core-Satellite approach which comprises low cost ETFs at the core and a mix of individual investments in specific niches of water treatment. This approach allows us to mix traditional utilities with industrial companies and high tech hubs. We also favor a global approach since, as we mentioned earlier, water scarcity has no boundaries.
Please contact our investment team for more information on this portfolio.