Oligopoly to dominate Global water market

The world-wide market is expected to have a total volume of 550 billion DM compared with 268 billion DM in 1998, and 60% of this will be controlled by only 80 companies, compared with 500 in 1998, says HKU. The smallest of the 80 companies will have a turnover of over 2 billion DM, with a 10-20% turnover/profit margin. While 10 companies will have a turnover greater than 20 billion DM.

Modern sewage treatment plants will be producing drinking water, and the level of sludge will be less than 10%. The plants will be largely self-sufficient in energy, and will work with new technologies, such as fuel cells. Production in the industrial sector will be largely effluent-free and therefor produce minimal amounts of sludge. Drinking water will be classified into several standards of quality, and the purification process will be decentralised, says the report.

While over-capacity, liberalisation and decentralisation leads to heightened competition and greater and more differentiated demands in industrialised countries, over 100 countries are in a state of emergency concerning the amount and quality of water available.

According to HKU, Total Water Management (TWM) is the key to success over the next 15 years. TWM comprises all the services of a general contractor, including planning, financing,project management, construction and operation in public drinking water treatment and supply, sewage treatment, and large-scale projects in the industrial sector. TWM can also be complete plant offer, consisting of a portfolio of technology, method and process for drinking water, sewage, sludge and waste, energy etc…