Bluefield Research

🌊 Digital Transformation: A New Era for Water Utilities 🌊 Bluefield Research and K-water (Korea Water Resources Corporation) have collaborated on a White Paper to explore how leading-edge technologies are helping utilities overcome today’s most pressing challenges—aging infrastructure, climate risks, and workforce shortages—while optimizing operations. What’s Inside the White Paper? > #Digitaltwins for real-time decision-making and disaster prevention (e.g., flood control simulations saving lives and infrastructure). > AI-driven treatment plants that improve #waterquality and reduce costs, with success stories like K-Water’s Hwaseong Water Plant achieving: - 104% increase in labor efficiency - 19% reduction in chemical costs - 10% reduction in energy consumption > Smart water networks slashing non-revenue water losses by up to 35%, delivering sustainable results for municipalities and customers alike. As utilities face mounting pressures globally, this #WhitePaper highlights actionable insights and proven case studies from Korea, Europe, and beyond. 📥 Download the full White Paper to see how #digitaltransformation can reshape utility performance and resilience: https://hubs.ly/Q030wCnv0

Bluefield's Europe team is excited to be exhibiting at Aquatech Amsterdam in 2025 on March 11–14. This is your chance to connect with us in person! Book a meeting with our team of #waterexperts at our booth (11.318): https://hubs.ly/Q030n4VF0 Meet with us in person to share #watermarket perspectives, and discover how Bluefield can support your business strategies in 2025. 📍 Stop by our booth: 11.318 Check out other #waterevents Bluefield will be attending or presenting at: https://hubs.ly/Q030mXxF0 We look forward to seeing you in person in 2025! 👋 #Aquatech #Aquatech25 #Aquatech2025 Dovilė Vaičiūnaitė Chloé Meyer Zineb Moumen Maria Cardenal, Antonio del Olmo García

🌊 2024 in Water: Grading our Predictions with Bluefield President & CEO Reese Tisdale 🌊 At the start of the year, Bluefield Research made predictions for trends shaping the #watersector in 2024. https://lnkd.in/ecFeqNDE In Episode 270 of The Water Values podcast hosted by David McGimpsey, Reese Tisdale revisits those forecasts, grades the accuracy, and dives into the stories behind how they played out. What did we get right, and what surprised us? 1. Water as part of the #climateresiliency conversation When disasters hit, the role of water is often overlooked—whether it’s #stormwater flooding or #drought. But the stormwater market remains significant, and alternative water supplies are gaining momentum. 2. Forever chemicals (PFAS) as a top priority in the U.S. and Europe The EPA set enforceable #PFAS limits in the U.S. this April, while Europe lags but may soon catch up by targeting manufacturers and shifting supply chains. 3. Digital water technologies will see significant investment Despite long-term growth potential, #digitalwater hit some headwinds in 2024 due to market consolidation, interest rates, and utility reluctance to adopt new tech. 4. Growth in #industrialwater, from semiconductors to food & beverage #Semiconductors remain a hot market for water players, while food & beverage proves a promising entry point for treatment tech providers. Listen to the episode to find out what grades Bluefield's #waterexperts received on the predications above. https://hubs.ly/Q030d4vK0 What can we expect in 2025? Comment on your predictions below.

Two extreme weather events have put Europe’s #stormwater infrastructure to the test recently—revealing both progress and persistent challenges. On September 18th, Storm Boris dropped 500 mm of rain in less than 48 hours across Central and Eastern Europe, causing €3 billion in insured losses and dozens of fatalities. Improved infrastructure and forecasting tools, like the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS), reduced the impact compared to previous floods. Yet, the magnitude of this event underscored the growing need for investment—€10 billion in recovery funding—in flood defenses, nature-based solutions, and digital tools to manage risk. https://hubs.ly/Q03011FV0 Just weeks later, on October 29th, catastrophic flooding in Valencia, Spain, exposed critical weaknesses in the region’s #flood preparedness. The existing Sistema Automático de Información Hidrológica (SAIH) failed to provide real-time communication, delaying emergency response and amplifying the damage. The event prompted a €22.5 million emergency investment to modernize monitoring systems and establish Valencia’s first-ever early warning system (#EWS). https://hubs.ly/Q03017V80 Both events tell a similar story: - Climate-driven storms are intensifying - Digital solutions, including early warning systems and real-time modeling, are critical to mitigating the impacts of extreme weather 🔗 More analysis available through Bluefield's Europe Municipal Water Corporate Subscription: https://lnkd.in/eF5v9BWS

U.S. water utilities are being stretched thin. Workforce shortages, rising costs, and regulatory demands make it harder than ever to manage operations in-house while maintaining service quality. Today, many #waterutilities are turning to third-party operations and maintenance (O&M) providers who bring specialized expertise, advanced technology, and workforce support to help them meet public needs without overextending their resources. Valued at nearly US$3 billion annually, the third-party O&M market now supports drinking water and #wastewater services for over 38.6 million Americans. When considering whether to leave their operations in-house or outsource, utilities must weight a number of factors, including adequate funding, qualified personnel, effective and efficient oversight, structurally healthy infrastructure, and more. https://hubs.ly/Q02_r5770 Utility systems serving midsize populations are seeing the greatest demand for third party O&M, with states like Texas drawing diverse stakeholders—from #privateequity firms to international players like Aqualia signaling expansion beyond traditional market leaders. For an in-depth look at the third-party O&M market, see Bluefield's newly released Third-Party O&M Report: https://hubs.ly/Q02_qK2Q0 In our Data Navigator platform, Bluefield has tracked over 2,000 O&M contracts, revealing trends in contract sizes, geographic reach, and service innovations. https://hubs.ly/Q02_qNwQ0

Bluefield tracks Water M&A and company strategies. Check out some recent deals that have caught our eye. 1️⃣ Ecolab's acquisition of Barclay Water Management, Inc. highlights Ecolab's strategic focus on global high-tech industries, such as microelectronics and #datacenters, as a core growth driver for its industrial business. The Barclay acquisition bolsters Ecolab’s commercial & institutional portfolio, addressing critical operational challenges like Legionella disinfection for data centers and aging HVAC systems. 2️⃣ Georg Fischer's divestment of its Machining Solutions Division to United Grinding Group for approximately US$721.5 million along with its acquisition of Uponor represent a full pivot toward the #watersector. On the whole, the firm is strategically moving away from its more diversified industrial roots to concentrate exclusively on water and flow solutions. This move positions Georg Fischer to serve both industrial and municipal clients while expanding in regulated, high-value markets with #watermanagement solutions. These strategic moves are explored in greater depth in our #FutureofWater podcast episode, "Strategic Moves Reshaping the Water Sector", with Bluefield's Reese Tisdale and Keith Hays. 🎙️ Listen here. https://hubs.ly/Q02_08xs0 Water M&A / Company Strategies Clients can access our recent analysis of these water deals: - Ecolab Targets High Tech, Data Water Management: https://hubs.ly/Q02_0r_h0 - Georg Fischer Unlocks Value with Water Focus: https://hubs.ly/Q02_0rGJ0

Bluefield Runs on Water Market Data—And So Can You As 2024 winds down, it’s the perfect time to set yourself up for success in 2025. Bluefield’s Data Navigator platform empowers our clients with the actionable #watermarket insights needed to unlock opportunities and stay ahead of the curve. Our platform features over 75 dashboards featuring key water market data, including: 🔹M&A TRENDS & MARKET SHARE: Analyze global M&A trends, third-party O&M data, market share data, and more. 🔹MARKET FORECASTS: Access detailed market outlooks for CAPEX, #digitalwater, and industrial water markets. 🔹INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT & FUNDING: Explore data on capital improvement plans, #IIJA initiatives, and consent decrees. 🔹MARKET DRIVERS & INDICATORS: Track housing and construction metrics, global #waterstress, and energy prices. 🔹UTILITY DATA: Identify opportunities with water, #wastewater, and #stormwater system data sets. Learn more about our water market data: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZJywX0 See sample data dashboards: https://lnkd.in/g839zr7P Book a demo to see how our data platform works: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZJtDV0 #DataNavigator #BluefieldRunsOnData #WaterMarketData #Data #WaterIndustry #ClimateData #WaterStrategy #WaterExperts #WaterIntelligence

💧 Which industries offer the most opportunities for water? New investments in emerging technology sectors, including data centers and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as evolving demand in the water-intensive energy industry, will drive industrial #watermanagement expenditures to total US$388.5 billion from 2024 to 2030 according to a new forecast report from Bluefield Research. “The convergence of advanced technologies, changing business models, and high-stakes mergers is driving a competitive realignment, positioning the industrial #watersector for significant growth and innovation,” says Amber Walsh, Senior Analyst at Bluefield Research. Bluefield's New #IndustrialWater Forecast report dives deep into water management spend across 16 industry verticals and profiles the strategies of 18 leading players. A few of the key trends shaping these dynamic market opportunities: ✅ #AI and #datacenters ignite new opportunities in the water sector ✅ #Semiconductor manufacturing drives high water spend ✅ The #energy transition alters industrial water opportunities ✅ The food & beverage sector faces stricter #wastewater regulations Bluefield Industrial Water Clients: Access the full report here 👉 https://hubs.ly/Q02ZJrk00 Not a client? Purchase the report for immediate download and gain the insights you need. 📢 See more highlights from this new report: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZJtFM0

As water and wastewater utilities continue to face fundamental and emerging challenges such as climate change, aging infrastructure, shrinking workforce, and cybersecurity threats, many utilities are looking to digital water technologies for solutions. As the market is vast, and the opportunities are scattered, utilities and solution providers need to better understand how key trends are shaping the market landscape and where the opportunities are, globally. Bluefield's #waterexperts (Christine Ow, MPA, Maria Cardenal, Eric Bindler, and Justin Hazard) presented a webcast to clients last week, focusing on digital water opportunities in North America and Europe. Bluefield clients can access the webcast slides and recording here: https://hubs.ly/Q02Zzf610 We want to hear from you! Which types of service providers stand to benefit most from digital water growth? 51% of Bluefield clients voted "Installation / Integration Firms". Do you agree? Vote in our poll below and share your thoughts in the comments! #Webcast #DigitalWater #Technology #WaterIndustry #AI #Cybersecurity #Europe #IndustryInsights

While there’s plenty of debate about whether artificial intelligence (AI) will replace jobs, the technology's potential to transform the #watersector is undeniable. AI can optimize water management and help utilities tackle key industry challenges including #climatechange, urbanization, and workforce shortages. Bluefield Research was pleased to partner with Arcadis to compile case studies from utilities around the world, highlighting the operational improvements reported from #artificialintelligence. Based on our analysis, here are some examples of how AI can help deliver sustainable value for #waterutilities: 1️⃣ Optimized data management paired with automated meter reading increases revenue capture. 2️⃣ Algorithms impacting anomalies, optimizing detection and repairs reduce non-revenue water. 3️⃣ Asset management decision-support tools can extend asset life and guide more efficient investments. 4️⃣ Plant operational decisions leveraging asset analytics (e.g., flow, #waterquality) lead to cost-effective decisions. 5️⃣ Pump programming analytics powered by AI cut energy costs significantly. Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q02Y-FDn0 Eric Bindler, Christine Ow, Keith Hays, Esteban Azagra, James P. Cooper, PE 💧, Tanya McCoy-Caretti 💦, Greg Osthues