Bluefield Research

Bluefield Research tracks Water M&A deal flow on a quarterly basis, analyzing company strategies and shifting business models. Recent notable deals include: - Indicor Wades Further into Digital Water with Ovarro Acquisition: - Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Boosts U.S. Wastewater Position via Orenco Systems, Inc. - USALCO Deal Points to Private Equity’s Role in Consolidation of Water Treatment Chemicals Our Q3 Quarterly M&A Review reveals a record number of deals in the Hardware & Equipment segment, driven by key players like Core & Main, and Ferguson. ?? https://hubs.ly/Q02RTkqv0 Top companies in Water such as Xylem and Georg Fischer are also leveraging M&A to strengthen their market positions. ?? https://hubs.ly/Q02RTgNY0 These quarterly reviews are part of Bluefield’s Water M&A / Company Strategies Corporate Subscription, offering clients direct access to quarterly insights and relevant data. https://hubs.ly/Q02RTpfR0

At Bluefield, we pride ourselves on being interactive and responsive to our clients. Access to our team of #waterexperts is included in our Corporate Subscriptions, and for us, it's all about the relationship and engagement. https://hubs.ly/Q02RHdlt0 September was a busy month with many client access requests, and this year alone we have had over 200 client requests. We were happy to field recent client questions about O&M contracts, market sizing for water storage in #Europe, product breakdowns from our #stormwater forecast, analysis of #digitaltwin, and lithium production sites in the U.S. A big thank you to all Bluefield clients for turning to our team of analysts when you need #watermarket expertise. As a reminder, our Corporate Subscriptions are enterprise-wide so your entire company has access to our team of water experts. Not a client? Learn more about how our team can support your specific #waterstrategy. https://hubs.ly/Q02RHcP_0

Happy International Podcast Day! ?? Bluefield’s podcast series breaks down the hottest topics impacting the water industry. Hosted by our President & CEO Reese Tisdale, The Future of Water is where we talk about all the ways in which companies, utilities, and people are addressing the challenges and opportunities in water.?? This past quarter, we’ve seen incredible interest in some of our most talked-about episodes. Don’t miss out on these top trending episodes: ?? Show Me the Money: Where Are Utilities Investing in Water? ?? From Milestones to Predictions: What’s Next for the Future of Water? ?? Uncharted Waters: Are U.K. Utilities Ready for the AMP8 Investment Cycle? ?? How Will the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election Shape the Future of Water Management? Check them out at The Future of Water Podcast (https://hubs.ly/Q02RxZrL0) and get the insights that are leading the #watersector forward. Also available on: > Apple: https://hubs.ly/Q02Ry50P0 > Spotify: https://hubs.ly/Q02RxJ940 > YouTube: https://hubs.ly/Q02Rx-gl0 If you’ve been enjoying our episodes, don’t forget to leave us a review or share your favorite episode—it helps us reach even more listeners like you! On this International Podcast Day, we’re proud to be part of a global community of podcasts sharing knowledge and sparking meaningful conversations. ??? #InternationalPodcastDay #FutureOfWater #BluefieldResearch #WaterSustainability #WaterTech #PodcastDay #WaterInnovation

?? Show Me the Money: Where Are Utilities Investing in Water? Bluefield has analyzed capital improvement plans (CIPs) for 787 water utilities (saving our clients hours, if not days; or let's be honest, months of work). Our annual CIP data and analysis offer a clear snapshot of how utilities are allocating their budgets for water, #wastewater, and #stormwater projects. This isn't our first rodeo: This is our fourth year in a row we have undertaken this CIP analysis. We now have the context to track year-over-year shifts in funding. Our water experts have refined a methodology to collect, clean, and categorize these publicly available—but often messy—documents (utility budgets), transforming them into actionable data that can drive your business development efforts. This saves our clients the immense hassle of having to dig through inconsistent formats and budgets, giving them clear insights into utility investment trends. Based on client request, we've also added direct links to the individual utility capital improvement plans. Why do we undertake this data-intensive process for our clients each year? CIPs give us a chance to turn what we’re hearing from the industry—i.e. growing interest in cybersecurity or lead service line replacements—into concrete investment plans. How much does it cost to build a new #watertreatment plant? How does spending on PFAS mitigation compare to other key projects? What does the data tell us? Here are some highlights: ?? Lead Service Line Replacement: 53 utilities plan a combined US$3 billion investment between 2024 and 2032, up 54% from last year’s #CIP. ?? #PFAS Mitigation: 40 utilities plan US$186 million in projects, with Colorado accounting for 53% of this spending. ?? Cybersecurity: 65 utilities have allocated US$150 million to #cybersecurity in 2024, compared to US$115 million last year. How do you find out more? Access our analyst presentation (complimentary with website registration): https://hubs.ly/Q02RmTCB0 ?? Listen to episode 103 of The Future of Water podcast with Eric Bindler and Reese Tisdale: https://hubs.ly/Q02RmZ5b0 Book a demo to see our CIP data dashboard in action: https://hubs.ly/Q02RmDB70

9 days until WEFTEC 2024! The Bluefield Research team (Reese Tisdale, John Berryman, Greg Goodwin and Justin Hazard) will be in New Orleans from October 7–9. Our experts would love to connect with water industry peers, share insights, and discuss where the water industry is headed. Whether you want to talk challenges, opportunities, policies, or strategies – let's catch up! ?? Book a meeting with us here: https://hubs.ly/Q02Rd4MS0 Looking forward to seeing you there. #WEFTEC24 #WaterIndustry #Networking #BluefieldResearch #MeetUsAtWEFTEC

?? California has been making headlines for the states' pro-active water policies. This month, California's Office of Administrative Law announced plans to implement direct potable reuse, a critical step toward sustainable #watermanagement. (WaterWorld Magazine): https://lnkd.in/eu5VCvyW A critical component of California’s long-term #waterstrategy will need to be an emphasis on water reuse, advanced treatment technologies. Investments in potable and non-potable #waterreuse systems, alongside advanced treatment solutions like #desalination, will play a key role in meeting future water demands, according to Bluefield President Reese Tisdale. The challenge will be in bridging the demand-side (i.e., commercial, industrial, residential) of the equation with the supply-side (i.e., #wastewater treatment plants). Earlier this summer, California’s State Water Board adopted urban water conservation regulations marking a significant shift from voluntary measures to mandatory compliance. This landmark policy requires 405 urban water suppliers—serving 95% of the state’s population—to meet conservation targets starting in 2027. Read Bluefield's latest perspective for insights on California's long-term water strategy: https://hubs.ly/Q02QX45-0.

High-tech industrial water markets are seeing a lot of change—from rising demand for data and the energy transition to a focus on corporate sustainability—amplifying the need for water management spend and solutions. High capital investments and growth in both semiconductor manufacturing and data centers highlight opportunities for water management. Bluefield's #waterexperts (Amber Walsh, Ethan Edwards, and Justin Hazard) recently presented a webcast to clients, focusing on water for high tech industries, looking at semiconductor manufacturing and data centers in the U.S. and Canada. Bluefield clients can access the webcast slides and recording here: https://hubs.ly/Q02Q6gzn0 We want to hear from you! Which factor will have the most influence on water provider opportunities for Data Centers and Semiconductors? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments! #Webcast #IndustrialWater #HighTech #WaterIndustry #DataCenters #AI #Semiconductors #WaterStress #IndustryInsights

U.S. & Canada Digital Water Market to Surge 107% by 2033 as Utilities Accelerate Their Own Transformations “The adoption of digital solutions is not just inevitable—it is critical for utilities to ensure the resilience and sustainability of water systems,” says Christine Ow, Digital Water Analyst at Bluefield Research. “Companies are transforming their digital water offerings to provide increasingly accessible solutions for utilities, even to resource-strapped small and mid-sized water utilities in the U.S. and Canada.” With cumulative #digitalwater spend expected to total US$169.5 billion from 2024 to 2033, this expansion—driven by an 8.4% CAGR—highlights the growing reliance on digital technologies (e.g., smart meters, network monitors, and data management) to manage utility assets more efficiently. Where is this growth coming from? ??One of the most urgent challenges facing the #watersector is the rapidly retiring workforce. The emergence of #artificialintelligence and #machinelearning will not only be crucial in bridging the widening #workforcegap, these technologies will also reshape utility operations through optimized #dataanalytics, predictive maintenance, and streamlined operations. ??Tightening regulations on #waterquality, #leakagemanagement, and #watersupplies are further pushing #waterutilities toward #digitalsolutions. Real-time data collection and management technologies are becoming essential to ensure compliance, boost operational efficiency, and improve resource management. ??Cloud-based platform solutions will experience rapid double-digit growth in the #watersector, driven by the push for more flexible, scalable, and data-centric approaches to #watermanagement. ?? Read the full #PressRelease: https://hubs.ly/Q02Q2vlq0 ?? More about Bluefield's new report + data - U.S. & Canada Digital Water Market Outlook: Key Drivers, Competitive Shifts, and Forecasts, 2024–2033: https://hubs.ly/Q02Q2tqv0

While water was only mentioned once during last night's U.S. presidential debate, the election will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the #futureofwater. In a new complimentary White Paper, Bluefield's team of water experts are offering our perspectives on how the outcome of the presidential election will impact water-related policies and regulations. From the Build America, Buy America (#BABA) legislation to the Chevron Doctrine to the U.S. #CHIPS and Inflation Reduction Acts (#IRA), we have identified 19 policies that will have far-reaching impacts on #waterinfrastructure, #technology, and #sustainability in the #watersector. Download the #WhitePaper from Bluefield's website: https://hubs.ly/Q02Pwc160 #PresidentialDebate #Election2024

#ArtificialIntelligence (AI) isn't going to replace jobs, but it's going to change utility roles. This week, Bluefield Digital Water Analyst Christine Ow joined Arcadis colleagues James P. Cooper, PE ?? and Melissa Darr, PE at the Water Infrastructure Conference (#WIC24) in Phoenix to discuss AI's growing impact on the #waterindustry. As more #waterutilities hire Data Scientists to develop #machinelearning algorithms and models for #leakdetection and prediction, traditional utility roles like engineers and project managers will inevitably evolve. Utility personnel are grappling with key questions: - What data infrastructure is needed to support AI implementation? - Does the implementation of AI support our objectives? - How will this shape my role? Bluefield is pleased to have collaborated with Arcadis on an AI for Water blog series. Read the first article in the series here: https://hubs.ly/Q02PpHmz0 For market projections on AI and #digitalwater growth in the U.S. and Canada, see Bluefield's new forecast report: https://hubs.ly/Q02PpHtV0 American Water Works Association