In this episode of The Future of Water, Bluefield Senior Analyst Amber Walsh joins host Reese Tisdale to break down Grundfos’s recent acquisition of Newterra and what it signals for the future of decentralized water treatment. Amber not only unpacks the deal itself—Grundfos’s fifth treatment-related acquisition since 2020—but also explores the broader competitive landscape for onsite treatment solutions.

Decentralized treatment, also referred to as onsite water management, is gaining traction among industrial, and increasingly municipal and commercial, users. But why? What’s driving solutions providers like Grundfos to expand into treatment? And what does this mean for customers?

We get into it all—plus the market opportunities, players to watch, and the underlying trends shaping the shift toward modular systems.

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Today’s guest, Bluefield Analyst Megan Bondar, joins host Reese Tisdale to unpack the growing role of investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in the U.S. water sector. From calculating market share to tracking M&A activity and geographic expansion, Megan brings fresh insights into how IOUs are positioning themselves in a fragmented market of 49,000 drinking water and 18,000 wastewater systems.

Though IOUs currently serve only about 5% of the U.S. population, their influence is expanding—through acquisitions, capital investments, and shifting ownership strategies. This episode also explores how consolidation is playing out in different forms, including municipal-to-municipal deals and the rise of quasi-public entities.

This episode answers key questions:

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Bluefield Senior Analyst Antonio del Olmo joins host Reese Tisdale to share insights from Bluefield's recent research across European countries, including Italy, the Netherlands, France, and Spain. This episode explores the evolving landscape of Europe’s water sector—from climate shocks to regulatory shakeups—and what it all means for utilities, investors, and technology vendors. The conversation highlights what specific regions are focusing on, the biggest challenges they’re facing, and how water sector stakeholders are responding.

Bluefield’s water experts unpack key trends, including:

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In this episode, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Amber Walsh, who shares insights from her latest research on the growing water demands of high tech. With billions in investment flowing into semiconductor fabs and data centers, these sectors are becoming major players in the water space—and are quietly reshaping infrastructure strategy from the ground up.

Bluefield’s water experts unpack key trends, including:

This episode offers a clear view of how data centers and semiconductor fabs are becoming central to the conversation around water strategy—and why utilities, investors, and vendors should be paying close attention.

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In this episode of The Future of Water, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Analyst Christine Ow to explore one of the fastest-evolving segments in the water sector: metering.

Christine shares insights from Bluefield's new report, Global Water Metering Outlook: Evolving Technology Trends, Business Models, Competitive Landscape, and Leading Companies, which offers a detailed view of the US$6.8 billion global metering market. With digital transformation accelerating, water meters are no longer just endpoints—they’re becoming the digital backbone of utility networks.

The discussion highlights how business models are shifting toward subscription-based offerings, how telecom players are entering the space, and how leading vendors are leveraging analytics and AI to create new value for utilities and customers alike.

Key topics covered:

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In this episode of The Future of Water, Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Charlie Suse to break down U.S. municipal water and wastewater treatment CAPEX forecasts through 2035.

Bluefield’s latest market model projects US$515 billion in treatment infrastructure capital expenditures, with spend expected to grow from US$37 billion in 2025 to over US$57 billion by 2035—driven by aging assets, stricter regulatory standards, and shifting service demands.

Together, Reese and Charlie dig into the methodology behind the forecast, which incorporates asset inventories for over 75,000 treatment plants, EPA data across all 50 states, and detailed spending breakouts by project type, utility size, and asset category. They also explore:

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Bluefield’s latest snapshot of the top 50 publicly traded water companies shows a sector still growing—but with turbulence under the surface. In this episode, host Reese Tisdale digs into Bluefield's Q1 2025 snapshot of the top companies in water, highlighting how they are navigating tariffs, tightening supply chains, and shifting strategies. While topline revenue growth remains strong, rising input costs and policy uncertainty are forcing companies to sharpen their focus—pruning non-core assets, streamlining operations, and zeroing in on their strongest water plays.

Meanwhile, regulated water utilities, with their steady cash flows and inelastic demand, are starting to look a lot more attractive. In a landscape shaped by tariffs, inflation, and bond market pressure, this might just be the moment where “boring is beautiful.”

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Policy in Washington is in flux—and our clients had questions. Lots of them. Following Bluefield’s recent client webcast, Uncertain Times: The State of Water Policy in Washington, podcast host Reese Tisdale and Senior Research Director Greg Goodwin reconvene to answer the questions they didn’t have time to address live. In this episode, they unpack critical developments shaping the water sector—from funding volatility and regulatory shifts to cross-border tensions and infrastructure outlooks.

Topics covered, questions answered:

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In this episode, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield colleagues Keith Hays and Chloé Meyer to unpack the rapid expansion of data centers in Spain and the growing challenges related to water and energy management. With Aragon alone seeing over €33 billion in announced investment, this conversation explores the trade-offs between hyperscale growth, resource constraints, and local response.

Key topics covered:

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

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In Episode 114 of The Future of Water podcast, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Research Senior Analyst Ethan Edwards for a deep dive into the water landscape, focusing on the evolving role of the equipment rental sector. The conversation centers on the competitive dynamics among major rental companies such as Herc, Sunbelt, and United Rentals, with a spotlight on Herc’s recent US$5.3 billion acquisition of H&E Equipment Services.

Ethan breaks down the impact of this deal, positioning Herc as the third-largest equipment rental company in North America. He also discusses how original equipment manufacturers rely on rental firms to distribute pumps, dewatering systems, and trench safety solutions, particularly as municipalities and industries adopt asset-light models. He highlights that rental companies are an essential channel for water equipment, especially in sectors like mining, construction, and oil & gas.

Key Takeaways:

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