The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security - Unu-inweh ...

3. Pioneers in the Blue Economy
The economic risks and opportunities for water are only just beginning to register for most government and business
managers. However, a number of pioneers in the Blue Economy have emerged and are leading the way in the development
of new approaches, innovative technologies, and ways of working together to confront the challenge.
3.1. Leading jurisdictions
A handful of countries and geographic regions have established themselves as leaders in the ‘innovation ecosystems’
that lead to the creation of new water technologies, services and practices. For example, despite a lack of abundant local
source water, Singapore has recognized the growing opportunities in the water sector and is investing to become a global
‘hydro hub’ (2030 Water Resources Group, 2009; IBM, 2009). The country’s national water agency, PUB, is working to
reduce reliance on imported water (from Malaysia) and costly desalinated water by increasing the supply with reclaimed
water and driving down demand through a conservation plan. The reclaimed water, called NEWater, involves separating
the collection and redirection of wastewater and run-off rainwater and treating used water with advanced-membrane
filtration. Through its innovative efforts, Singapore aims to generate roughly 11,000 professional and skilled jobs by 2015
(2030 Water Resources Group, 2009).
Israel is another country with scarce water supplies that has turned a vulnerability into a major asset. Since 1964, the
Israeli population has nearly tripled; however, Israeli farmers have succeeded in producing nine times the amount of
food with a mere 3% increase in water consumption (IBM, 2009). This productivity is typically attributed to the sector’s
technological prowess, and indeed Israel is a global leader in precision agriculture. However, this technological advancement
was made possible by placing proper valuation on water, investing in advanced education, creating platforms for new
business ventures, and developing programmess to attract private funds (Cleantech Group, 2011; IBM, 2009). Israel’s
Novel Efficiency Water Technologies (NEWTech) programme has produced 26 government-funded water technology
incubators, which have attracted nearly US $700 million in private investment (Cleantech Group, 2011). Israel boasts
more than 250 water technology businesses, which, when combined, exported US $1.4 billion worth of goods in 2008
(2030 Water Resources Group, 2009).
Scarcity is not the only driver of innovation in water. The need to remove pollutants, to reduce energy and other costs
associated with water distribution, and to replace or repair aging water infrastructure, is common to many regions of
the world, wet or dry. Governments that share the North American Great Lakes basin, a region that contains 20% of
the world’s fresh surface water supplies, have identified water as a key economic asset. The region faces challenges
related to water pollution concerns, crumbling water infrastructure, and water stress in urban areas located away from
the lakes. It is also a region that has gone through economic decline due to a loss in its traditional manufacturing base,
particularly in sectors such as auto manufacturing. Meanwhile, it has produced some major technological innovations in
water and wastewater treatment, such as the ground-breaking treatment technologies of Trojan Technologies and ZENON
Environmental (purchased by General Electric in 2006).
To build on the successes of Trojan and ZENON and as part of a broader push towards a green economy, the Ontario
Government in Canada recently passed the Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act, with the goal of making
Ontario the North American leader in the development and sale of water conservation and treatment technologies.
To achieve this goal, it has created the Water Technology Acceleration Partnership (WaterTAP) to support research,
development and commercialization of new technologies and innovations in the water sector. Similarly, the Milwaukee
Water Council in Wisconsin, USA was created to convene and build partnerships between the research clusters and more
than 130 water technology companies in the region. The Council aims to establish the Milwaukee region as a ‘World Water
Hub’ for water research, economic development, and education. Another water hub is emerging just south of the Great
Lakes basin in southwest Ohio, southeast Indiana and northern Kentucky, USA where, in 2011, the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Water Technology Innovation Cluster (WTIC). WTIC aims to establish the region as
a global leader in sustainable, environmental technology innovation, with an initial emphasis on water.
Innovation is not limited to highly developed jurisdictions. The city of Durban, South Africa is working to provide adequate
drinking water and sanitation to each resident of its growing population, whether wealthy or impoverished. Low pressure
delivery reduces the amount of drinking water lost to leakage. More than 60,000 urine diversion toilets and nearly another
62 The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue