Upstream dams dried up the once-thriving Colorado River Delta in Mexico.
For most of history, water was considered a basic human right -- wherever it was plentiful, that is. When drought hit or populations outstripped the local supply, water became a valuable resource that was fought over or exploited, as the movie
Chinatown made all too clear. A growing number of corporations now are betting that those who can save water, clean it, and manage it will prosper. The global water market had revenues of $508 billion last year and is growing at 6.4%. Veolia and Suez, which have been in the water business for over 100 years, dominate the market for providing services for municipal water systems. More recently, companies such as ITT (water treatment tech) and Siemens (services and water-purification membranes) have entered the sector.
NEXT: Water market breakdown
