Spain’s water sector has evolved in light of the country's unique challenges such as extensive infrastructure buildout in recent decades, population boom, economic recessions, and persistent droughts. Despite these hurdles, Spain has made notable strides in areas including desalination, water management, and technology adoption.

VP & Managing Director Keith Hays and Analyst Maria Cardenal from Bluefield's Europe team sit down with Podcast Host and Bluefield President & CEO Reese Tisdale. Together, they explore three major trends shaping the Spanish water sector: digitalization, smart water management, and the circular economy.

In addition to these trends, Bluefield's Europe water experts delve into several key topics:

• Main challenges facing Spain's water sector, and how they are being addressed
• The size of Spain’s water sector, including its relativity to other countries in Europe
• Government policies and regulations that could influence the development of the water sector moving forward
• Prominent key players in the Spanish water sector—utilities, technology providers, and consulting firms
• Opportunities for foreign investors and companies looking to enter the Spanish water market

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• Spain Municipal Water Market Overview
• Europe Municipal Water & Wastewater: CAPEX Market Forecasts, 2024–2030

Schneider Electric and Bentley have confirmed ongoing discussions regarding a potential acquisition, marking a significant development in the water industry. With Bentley's market value estimated at approximately US$16 billion, the prospective deal would provide large ramifications across various industries where both companies operate.

While both Schneider and Bentley are prominent players in the digital water realm, other companies including Cadence Design Systems and Siemens could be in the mix as well.

In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield's Senior Research Director Eric Bindler, and Digital Water Analyst Christine Ow, to explore the potential ripple effect of a Schneider-Bentley deal on the water industry:

• Enhancing Operational Efficiency: The convergence of Bentley and Schneider would facilitate the transition from design to operations, unlocking efficiencies throughout the value chain. Their combined expertise would offer a suite of products, bridging crucial gaps in the industry.
• Altering the Competitive Landscape: Schneider's diverse portfolio spans various sectors. The integration of Bentley would further strengthen their standing within the water industry, challenging established players.
• Navigating Integration Challenges: Beyond the strategic benefits, the acquisition presents integration complexities, including aligning customer bases and merging company cultures.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• Modeling Software Players Weigh Growth Options
• Idrica Tapped to Integrate Xylem Digital Water Portfolio
• Oldcastle Cements Digital Water Strategy via Partnerships and M&A

Bluefield's latest remediation forecast for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) has surged to US$13.5 billion by 2030 in the wake of anticipated maximum contamination limits (MCLs) for drinking water and a significant legal settlement involving 3M in South Carolina. Now, with the EPA confirming these unprecedented contaminant limits, a fresh wave of discussions emerge, touching upon the EPA's authority, states' rights, and the subsequent course of action including the management and responsibility of biosolids disposal—who's ultimately responsible?

In this episode, Podcast Host Reese Tisdale engages in a deep dive discussion with Bluefield's Senior Research Director, Greg Goodwin (a.k.a. Bluefield's policy watcher), exploring recent policy developments regulating 'forever chemicals' in drinking water and their potential ramifications on regulatory frameworks. Key talking points cover what is PFAS (for anyone not in the know), the implications of the EPA establishing its new MCLs for PFAS, the ripple effects on wastewater, and the potential influence of upcoming elections on these policies.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• State of the Market: PFAS Policy Landscape, Forecasts, and Competitive Analysis
• 3M Windfall for PFAS Impacted Water Systems
• Europe to Ramp Up PFAS Water Regulations

While artificial intelligence (AI) has indeed become a prevalent buzzword in many regards, capturing headlines over the past 12 to 18 months, its potential impact remains significant. There are real applications and impacts that are unfolding for AI, including those in the water and wastewater sectors. In the U.S. utility construction sector—which is facing chronic labor shortages amid historic levels of federal infrastructure investment—AI can serve as a powerful tool for increasing productivity, efficiency, and safety on worksites and in back offices alike.

In this episode, Reese Tisdale speaks with Bluefield's Senior Research Director Eric Bindler who recently presented on AI to to the National Utility of Contractors Association (NUCA). Eric answers 3 major questions:

1. What is AI and its implications for the construction industry?
2. What is AI's potential impact on jobs?
3. What are the applications and who are some companies active in the AI space?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• AI in the Utility Construction Industry: Key Market Trends, Applications & Best Practices
• Digital Water: Key Trends, Project Activity, and Market Outlook, Q1 2024

Public sector water and wastewater project owners, engineering & design firms, and contractors are facing cost overruns, schedule delays, and contractual disputes that are slowing the execution and delivery of critical infrastructure.

These factors have prompted the development of new policies and project experiences, accelerating collaborative project delivery approaches. The methods include design-build, progressive design-build, construction manager at-risk approaches, and public-private partnerships.

Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Charlie Suse to discuss his recent analysis of collaborative delivery and its growing impact on water and wastewater infrastructure buildout in the U.S. Charlie outlines three main factors driving interest and policy changes in collaborative delivery:

1. Legislative momentum
2. Demonstrated activity and a growing portfolio of projects
3. Other factors such as utilities’ financial constraints, aging infrastructure, regulatory pressure, and climate change

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• Collaborative Project Delivery: State Policies and Market Trends for Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

A number of Bluefield clients have enquired about the status of IIJA project funds. Each program stands in terms of four funding phases: appropriated, announced, obligated, outlaid. Podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Isabel Kezman to discuss recent analysis of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In this episode, Bluefield's water experts speak on the pace of project activity and funding timeline from its legislation in November 2021 to now.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act: Tracking the Spending, Q1 2024
• IIJA Aims to Reduce Backlog of U.S. Tribal Water, Sewer Infrastructure Needs
• The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Breaking Down the Water Funding

The global private equity (PE) sector has grown thirteenfold since 2000, wielding increasing influence over critical infrastructure sectors. The proliferation of digital technologies across the water industry has opened new growth avenues for select PE investors.

Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Analyst Christine Ow, to discuss her recent research on the role of PE firms in the digital water segment. Our Bluefield water experts once again take a step back and define “Digital Water", and then identify some key market trends, including PE investments, key players, and outlook for the rest of 2024.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• Private Equity’s Role in Digital Water: Investor Strategies and Competitive Positioning
• Mapping the Global Digital Water Vendor Landscape: 2024 Update
• The Digital Water Revolution: Global Digital Water Market Forecast, 2022-2030

Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Charlie Suse to discuss recent research on Investor-Owned Utilities in water. Reese and Charlie spell out Bluefield's definition of "Private Water", followed by a dive into the market outlook, including: Utility M&A trends, what companies are paying for water systems, the influential players in the private water space, and where the market is heading through M&A, geographic shifts, and policy changes.

Reese also provides some key takeaways from Bluefield's recently published Europe Municipal Water CAPEX Forecast Report.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

• U.S. Private Water: Key Trends, M&A Activity, and Market Outlook, Q1 2024
• Third-Party O&M for U.S. Water & Wastewater Utilities
• Private Equity Takes Wheel of H2O Innovation