Beating the coming water shortage

Texas is hit with a record drought. Some 1 million Mexico City residents rely solely on truck deliveries for clean water. In the Horn of Africa, more than 13 million people are suffering from the worst drought in 60 years. According to the World Water Council, 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water.

The good news is that long-term solutions exist for problems like these. Industry is developing superfine filters to clean even the dirtiest water -- today 20% of Singapore's drinking water comes from processed sewage. In China the government has partnered with local companies to construct 1,816 miles of aqueduct to move water from rivers in the south to the parched northeast. Global water companies like Veolia, Suez, and ITT are partnering with municipalities to manage water. In Tampa, Veolia has built a new plant that brings drinking water to 2.4 million people.

NEXT: Gentlemen, start your water pumps