Amid the global push towards saving the environment, experts said sustainable water solutions provide outstanding investment opportunities.
And for smaller players, this opens the doors to developing new technologies.
In Singapore alone, the number of water-related companies has doubled over the last five years.
And over the same period, they’ve secured more than 100 international projects worth some US$7 billion.
Black & Veatch said it expects the industry to continue sweeping across the region as more countries look at water solutions, such as reuse and recycling.
Executive managing director of Professional Services Global Water Business at Black & Veatch, Ralph Eberts, said: “Singapore is currently 30 per cent, they are targeting 50 per cent - Australia maybe 10 per cent and they are targeting 30 per cent in the next decade so there is going to be a lot of activity around reuse and recycle.
“I think the water industry represents an outstanding investment opportunity, its relatively stable because as we all know life without water is not an option so we see pretty steady returns in the water industry, demand is relatively consistent, obviously everyone encourages conservation there is just so much you can do with that.
“So you have a pretty consistent demand and the other investment drivers you might say are growth, population growth, the ability to secure available supplies and regulations - all those just tend to drive the industry forward so its a good stable business opportunity.”
And Aquaporin is one such start up looking to tap in to that growth with its new membrane technology.
Chief operating officer of Aquaporin Asia, Mark Perry, said: “We have the first generation aquaporin inside membrane technology which mimics the very efficient way water is desalination in human kidneys, so you can think of it as nature’s way of desalinating water that we’ve now put in to an industrial membrane product.”
Aquaporin is targeting to start a pilot production line for the product in the coming year.
