The world is getting thirstier. The World Bank estimates that global water consumption will increase by 50 percent over the next 30 years. But the planet has no more water today than it did after the Big Bang, and as with any commodity that appears to be running out, this resource is attracting new interest from investors.
No fewer than eight exchange-traded funds now specialize in water-related investments. The endowments of Harvard University and Duke University have both begun to focus on water. And last year the California Public Employees’ Retirement System committed $260 million to the venture capital firm of one of Sun Microsystems’ co-founders, Vinod Khosla. The firm seeks out emerging water technologies, among other cutting-edge investments.
The market worldwide in stocks revolving around water infrastructure alone — everything from pipes, ....