NedWater

NedWater is an active market place. Bringing together supply and demand for water related business, activities or operations.
Science, research, development, consultancy services, engineering, contracting, supply of equipment, components or technology, design-build-operate, financing, project management, interim management.
Anything, as long as it is water related and can be supplied from the Netherlands or achieved together with a Dutch business partner.

You can take advantage of NedWater's market knowledge and network by using the NedWater organization.
The business culture of NedWater is based on no cure – no pay and on value for money. NedWater makes the difference. NedWater is your intermediary and helps to close your perfect deal with a Dutch partner.
Click here to contact NedWater.

Water, blue Gold

Water-treatment technologies are hot but seem to be a promising opportunity that is more elusive than expected.
The world market for water-related business is roughly estimated at $400 billion. It is possible to get big returns, but forget quick returns from investments in projects. Besides of longer return times, the biggest water treatment opportunities are in developing countries, which have the least money to buy innovative technologies and which are more interested in delivering clean water to their people than helping people handle their finances, buildings insurance and the other complications that first world countries focus on.. The juiciest water projects are municipal water-treatment plants owned by governments that do not have budgets large enough to accommodate new technologies. However, the outlook is alarming, as demand for water rapidly outstrips dwindling supplies because the world population is fast growing, the climate is changing, and today's water infrastructure is aging. The United Nations has identified 300 water-conflict zones around the world and even more will be designated as water stress areas. Water is not synonym with fast money, but worthwhile to invest in, providing safe and reasonable returns. Some water funds bring a growth of 20% per year and say "Water is a mass market which will grow rapidly in the coming years. We cannot expect to see a decline in de demand."
Click here to read:
  - collected water papers 'Water, blue Gold' by ABN-AMRO (2006).
  - the Robeco/SAM water study 'Precious Blue', January 2006.
  - Robeco/SAM water study Water: a market of the future, December 2007

An overview of worldwide active water funds from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg:
   - Luxemburg based Pictet Water Funds,
   - the Dutch ASN Milieu & Water Fund,
   - the Dutch SNS REAAL Waterfonds, and
   - Dutch Rabobank/Robeco Clean Tech Private Equity II.
   - Dutch Robeco SAM Sustainable Water Fund
   - the Belgian KBC Eco Water Fund.
   - AXXESSOR Strategic Water Fund (Luxembourg)



Pictet Water Funds (Luxembourg)
The fund's objective is to invest worldwide in shares of companies focused on the water related sector. The Water Fund aims to invest in equities issued by companies operating in the water and air sector worldwide.
The companies targeted in the water sector will include water production companies, water conditioning and desalination companies, water suppliers, water bottling, transport and dispatching companies, companies specializing in the treatment of waste water, sewage and solid, liquid and chemical waste, companies operating sewage treatment plants and companies providing equipment, consulting and engineering services in connection with the above-described activities. The Water Fund invests two-thirds of its net assets in equities issued by companies operating in the water sector: water supply (39%), water technology (34%), bottled water (9%), environmental services (16%). Check www.pictetfunds.com

ASN Environment & Water Fund (The Netherlands)
Sustainability is a key issue in all activities of the Dutch ASN Bank. ASN research resulted in several funds targeting this mission, amongst which the ASN Environment & Water Fund
The ASN Environment & Water Fund invests in a limited number of sectors. This increases the risk of strong market price fluctuations together with the change of returns on long term. The fund invests in the following sectors (% at the end of Q2 2007):
- Water treatment (43%).
- Durable energy (34%).
- Recycling (23%). With focus on reuse of industrial waste, energy and raw materials such as paper, metals and glass.
ASN Environmental & Water fund invests especially in small (56,7%) and medium-sized companies (40,8%). Check www.ASNBank.nl

SNS REAAL Waterfonds (The Netherlands)
SNS REAAL Group has taken the initiative for a Fund that targets investment projects dedicated to sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation in the field of water control and water management. Within the next 5 years, SNS REAAL Group will invest US$ 50 million in international water projects in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, targeting drinking water supply, sanitation, water purification and irrigation. Check www.snsbank.nl

Robeco Clean Tech Private Equity II (The Netherlands)
The investment fund Robeco Clean Tech Private Equity II aims at 500 million euros and is, besides solar energy and new materials, focused on innovative technologies for water treatment.  Rabobank and Robeco expect that the market for water treatment and -supply will grow strongly en will bring good returns for the investors.
Check www.robeco.nl

Robeco SAM Sustainable Water Fund (The Netherlands/Switzerland)
The depletion of water supplies and natural resources, and the necessity to make more efficient use of these resources, is attracting more and more attention. Robeco responded to this development at an early stage and considerably increased its sustainable-investment activities in 2006. An important milestone was the acquisition of a 64% stake in the Swiss company Sustainable Asset Management, one of the most prominent asset managers in the world in the field of sustainable investing. SAM Group enjoys international recognition for its water and energy funds and for constructing the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, a joint initiative with Dow Jones. SAM Group possesses a unique research department which identifies companies worldwide that are both financially sound and also fulfill certain sustainability criteria. SAM Group invests in companies having a water activity share in the turnover of at least 20% only. The fund invests worldwide in companies providing technology, products and services relating to the water value chain, such as water distribution, management,
treatment and analysis as well as irrigation.
The aim of the fund is to achieve the highest possible returns over the long term. It is suitable for long-term-oriented equity investors who are convinced of the sustainable potential of the water market, and for inclusion in a globally diversified portfolio. August 2007 SAM reported to stick to long-term strategy to underweight utilities and overweight suppliers of technology and services to the value chain of water.
Water companies benefits from the long-term trends and challenges such as water shortages, water quality issues, ageing infrastructure and climate change.
SAM has defined four investment areas characterized by substantial growth potential:
1. Distribution and management (41%)
Water and wastewater utilities can contribute to sustainability by minimizing water losses from pipes or ensuring safe and reliable drainage and sewerage systems in residential areas. This cluster also includes companies concerned with building and maintaining the water mains and sewer infrastructure and with the management of water resources.
2.Advanced water treatment (23%)
This cluster includes companies that play a key role in the treatment of wastewater, the purification of drinking water and the desalination of sea water. Every year the world spends more than USD 10 billion on water treatment, and in the next 20 years this business is expected to grow tenfold. Only a fraction of the world’s wastewater is currently treated. Investing
in companies active in this field can therefore generate huge benefits for the environment and users of water in the future.
3. Demand-side efficiency (16%)
This cluster includes companies offering products for water metering, gray water recycling and boosting the efficiency of water use. This business boasts annual growth rates of up to 20% and makes an important contribution to sustainability. Using water recycling systems it is also possible to close local water cycle systems and reuse water.
4. Water and food (20%)
This cluster covers companies offering means of food production, that are very efficient in their
water consumption. The food industry is worth USD 2,700 billion a year, and what used to be minor segments such as organic foods and bottled water are now seeing 20%

November 2008
Global equity markets were unsettled during November 2008. The prospect of intervention by national governments to shore up their economies had no effect. The SAM Sustainable Water Fund fell by -5.3%, thus standing its ground better than the benchmark, which fell by -6.6%. The weak showing by individual European industrial shares was a drag on performance during the reporting month. With broader diversification, the proportion of water supply companies within the portfolio was increased. On the other hand, SAM took advantage of extremely depressed share prices in some cases to top up holdings selectively

2007
Over 2007 the fund advanced 5.1%, beating the benchmark MSCI World by 6.7%. At the start of January 2008, the leading credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s gave the SAM Sustainable Water Fund an "A" rating, the first and only 'pure' water fund to receive this accolade.

Click to read a handout of a presentation of the Robeco SAM Sustainable Water Fund (in Dutch). Check www.sam-group.com

KBC Eco Water Fund (Belgium)
Sustainability is a important issue in the activities of the Belgian KBC Bank. KBC research resulted in several Eco Funds funds targeting this mission, amongst which the KBC Eco Water Fund. Check www.kbc.be

AXXESSOR Strategic Water Fund (Luxembourg)
The portfolio comprises of utility companies for industry, agriculture and private households as well as companies which provide technology for water treatment. Food stocks, such as Nestle and Danone are excluded. Stock selection is based upon the size of the company’s turnover within the water sector, irrespective of the size of the company itself.
The allocation between the sectors a) Suppliers and b) Technology differs from other indices and is weighted 75% to 25%. Check www.lifesolutions.eu

Barclays
Barclays offers iShares S&P Global Water (IH2O). This fund gives you a broad based exposure to shares of the world's largest water companies, including water utilities and water equipment stocks. Check www.iShares.net

Palisades Water Index (ZWI)
The Palisades Water Index (ZWI) is a modified equal-dollar weighted stock market index. It is designed to track the performance of companies engaged in the global water industry such as pump and filter manufacturers, water utilities, and irrigation equipment manufacturers. The index was set at 1000 as of December 31, 2003. Check www.amex.com

Dow Jones
Not very well known, but there is even a Dow Jones TMI (Total Market Index) Water Index. All together some 200 different companies constitute the holdings of these water funds and index.

Water-stocks.com
is an investor and industry news portal for the water sector. The website does not make recommendations, but offers news, exclusive articles and columnists, audio interviews, investor conferences, blogs, and a list of stocks in the sector. Check Water-Stocks.com