Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012-2013 Reveals Annual Snapshot of the World's Water Industry

The state - and fate - of the world's water industry has been laid bare in the latest edition of the Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook.

The Yearbook, produced and published by international law firm Pinsent Masons, has been essential reading in the global water industry since 1999.

The new 14th edition offers a unique review of the dramatic changes that have affected companies operating in the sector and the investment climate affecting the industry on a worldwide scale.

As well as analysing the companies active in the water and wastewater services sector the Yearbook has investigated their corporate strategies - and found significant changes happening across the industry.

Mark Lane, Head of Pinsent Masons Water Group, said: "This year's edition of the Yearbook has shed light on a number of growing trends that will have a significant impact on the industry - and on the people it serves.

"Key among these is the continued fragmentation of the global industry with the growth of smaller more localised companies which have stepped in where the major players are less keen to tread.

"These smaller companies are also more flexible, allowing them to create new initiatives when conventional approaches have failed to deliver satisfactory services.

"It is this type of focus that has made the Water Yearbook the bible for the global industry. Each edition builds on the previous yearbook, giving an unrivalled source of critical information for companies operating in the sector across the globe."

This year's book continues the two year geographical focus cycle, and therefore concentrates on countries and companies in North America, South America and Asia Pacific. The Yearbook covers countries where the private sector is active or under consideration, and this year 36 countries meet those criteria.

Dr David Owen, Managing Director of Envisager Ltd, and a respected government and private sector advisor on water issues, once again is the author of the Yearbook.

He said: "The scale of the industry is enormous - and the scope of opportunities for companies operating in the sector continues to expand. This year we have identified over 1,200 contracts across the sector – up from only 350 in 1999.

"As a guide to the opportunities, and the detailed information on companies chasing those opportunities, the Pinsent Masons Yearbook remains the single most valuable resource in the global marketplace."