The Future of Water

Interest in the stormwater management market is on the rise, driven by urgent environmental challenges and infrastructure needs. Reese Tisdale is joined by Senior Research Director Eric Bindler to unpack Bluefield's latest stormwater infrastructure report. In this discussion, they dive into the nuances of stormwater management, exploring its impact across municipal water systems, transportation networks, and real estate development.

In this episode:

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Podcast host Reese Tisdale talks with Bluefield Analyst Amber Walsh to get the low down on top takeaways from Q2 industrial water analysis. Industrial water markets are seeing a lot of change—from rising demand for data, the energy transition, and a focus on corporate sustainability strategies. In this discussion, Bluefield's water experts share their insights on three hot industries making waves in industrial water management + corporate sustainability, highlighting key water events and trends impacting they way in which companies respond to and address water management challenges and opportunities.

Discussed in the podcast:

1. Bluefield keeps a close eye on government funding in the semiconductor manufacturing industry because of all the capital going towards Greenfield development—and with that comes water management spend and innovative solutions (i.e., reuse) especially in areas of water stress. In Q1, there were questions around the status of government funds from the U.S. CHIPS Act and market challenges. Q2 analysis shows the slow roll out of funds to semiconductor manufacturers GlobalFoundries, TSMC, Micron, Intel, and Samsung. What is the status of the funds and how are these companies responding?

2. In the hydrogen space, although still in early development, we are seeing significant investment being poured into green hydrogen. As Bluefield follows the money, we are expecting this to drive water management opportunities. As water is a key input in hydrogen production—and nearly 2,000 projects have been announced worldwide—Bluefield is estimating US$26.3 billion to be spent on water management in this sector through 2030. 

3. Bluefield is tracking several trends in the food & beverage industry. Wastewater treatment remains a large area of spend for these facilities, increasingly stringent discharge regulations are pushing for advanced treatment. What is the impact of municipal surcharges for treatment that can range from a couple thousand dollars annually to millions? And how are companies dealing with higher operational costs and commodity prices?

4. Let's not forget about corporate sustainability. What is the reality of corporate sustainability in industrial water? Is it a driving factor in corporate water management decisions? Companies have largely been motivated to set water reduction targets and disclose water use. But what does this mean and is the goal actually meaningful? How do 'replenishment projects' work and what are attractive 'sustainable’ business models (i.e., Water-as-a-service, operation management contracts).

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Spain’s water sector has evolved in light of the country's unique challenges such as extensive infrastructure buildout in recent decades, population boom, economic recessions, and persistent droughts. Despite these hurdles, Spain has made notable strides in areas including desalination, water management, and technology adoption.

VP & Managing Director Keith Hays and Analyst Maria Cardenal from Bluefield's Europe team sit down with Podcast Host and Bluefield President & CEO Reese Tisdale. Together, they explore three major trends shaping the Spanish water sector: digitalization, smart water management, and the circular economy.

In addition to these trends, Bluefield's Europe water experts delve into several key topics:

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Update: As of 23 May 2024, deal talks between Schneider Electric and Bentley Systems have ended, with no plans to move forward with an acquisition.

While both Schneider and Bentley are prominent players in the digital water realm, other companies including Cadence Design Systems and Siemens could be in the mix as well.

In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield's Senior Research Director Eric Bindler, and Digital Water Analyst Christine Ow, to explore the potential ripple effect of a Schneider-Bentley deal on the water industry:

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Bluefield's latest remediation forecast for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) has surged to US$13.5 billion by 2030 in the wake of anticipated maximum contamination limits (MCLs) for drinking water and a significant legal settlement involving 3M in South Carolina. Now, with the EPA confirming these unprecedented contaminant limits, a fresh wave of discussions emerge, touching upon the EPA's authority, states' rights, and the subsequent course of action including the management and responsibility of biosolids disposal—who's ultimately responsible?

In this episode, Podcast Host Reese Tisdale engages in a deep dive discussion with Bluefield's Senior Research Director, Greg Goodwin (a.k.a. Bluefield's policy watcher), exploring recent policy developments regulating 'forever chemicals' in drinking water and their potential ramifications on regulatory frameworks. Key talking points cover what is PFAS (for anyone not in the know), the implications of the EPA establishing its new MCLs for PFAS, the ripple effects on wastewater, and the potential influence of upcoming elections on these policies.

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.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

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While artificial intelligence (AI) has indeed become a prevalent buzzword in many regards, capturing headlines over the past 12 to 18 months, its potential impact remains significant. There are real applications and impacts that are unfolding for AI, including those in the water and wastewater sectors. In the U.S. utility construction sector—which is facing chronic labor shortages amid historic levels of federal infrastructure investment—AI can serve as a powerful tool for increasing productivity, efficiency, and safety on worksites and in back offices alike.

In this episode, Reese Tisdale speaks with Bluefield's Senior Research Director Eric Bindler who recently presented on AI to to the National Utility of Contractors Association (NUCA). Eric answers 3 major questions:

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Public sector water and wastewater project owners, engineering & design firms, and contractors are facing cost overruns, schedule delays, and contractual disputes that are slowing the execution and delivery of critical infrastructure.

These factors have prompted the development of new policies and project experiences, accelerating collaborative project delivery approaches. The methods include design-build, progressive design-build, construction manager at-risk approaches, and public-private partnerships.

Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Charlie Suse to discuss his recent analysis of collaborative delivery and its growing impact on water and wastewater infrastructure buildout in the U.S. Charlie outlines three main factors driving interest and policy changes in collaborative delivery:

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A number of Bluefield clients have enquired about the status of IIJA project funds. Each program stands in terms of four funding phases: appropriated, announced, obligated, outlaid. Podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Isabel Kezman to discuss recent analysis of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In this episode, Bluefield's water experts speak on the pace of project activity and funding timeline from its legislation in November 2021 to now.

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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The global private equity (PE) sector has grown thirteenfold since 2000, wielding increasing influence over critical infrastructure sectors. The proliferation of digital technologies across the water industry has opened new growth avenues for select PE investors.

Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Analyst Christine Ow, to discuss her recent research on the role of PE firms in the digital water segment. Our Bluefield water experts once again take a step back and define “Digital Water", and then identify some key market trends, including PE investments, key players, and outlook for the rest of 2024.

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.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

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Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Charlie Suse to discuss recent research on Investor-Owned Utilities in water. Reese and Charlie spell out Bluefield's definition of "Private Water", followed by a dive into the market outlook, including: Utility M&A trends, what companies are paying for water systems, the influential players in the private water space, and where the market is heading through M&A, geographic shifts, and policy changes.

Reese also provides some key takeaways from Bluefield's recently published Europe Municipal Water CAPEX Forecast Report.

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.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

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