As our population continues to skyrocket and long-term demand is ever increasing, a variety of commodities are facing long-term pressures. However, while we can find alternatives to some of these – like crude oil or copper – one critical commodity is confronted with a serious crunch.
That would be water.
Water reserves around the globe continue to dwindle, while demand for clean, potable water is surging. And yet, when it comes to commodities, water is almost never on investors’ minds. Blame it on the lack of futures pricing or the fact that it has been traditionally difficult to invest in; water just hasn’t been a shining star for many portfolios.
However, investors may want to start thinking about the blue gold.
With the resource getting scarcer by the day, smart investors would do right by ordering a tall glass of water for their portfolios. Over the long haul, water could be one of the best sectors and commodities in which to place our bets.
A Very Big Looming Problem
At first glance, the world seems to be awash in water. After all, more than 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with H2O. But looks can be deceiving. And that’s certainly the case here. As the old saying goes: “water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” The adage is correct. Roughly 97% of all the water on earth is salt water and undrinkable by man. That just leaves around 3% of the planet’s water that would be considered fresh.
