World without water: Saudi Arabia, then South Africa, now Israel.

With Israel’s five-year drought not abating, the government has said it will add two more desalination plants to the current brace of five along the Mediterranean and build out its water pipeline distribution network. The new plants may be used in part to pump up the rapidly disappearing Sea of Galilee, which is Israel’s main source of fresh water.

The nation’s government is also figuring out how to redesign its agricultural production system so that productivity remains high, while using less water.

It’s estimated that more than half the world’s population faces dire water scarcity at least one month each year, and 500 million people live with too little water year-round.

The World Bank has warned that disappearing water for farming and drinking may lead to mass migration and even war in some areas.

TRENDPOST: Companies providing private water services will gain more prominence. Many have the technical skills necessary to profit from “water as a service”, but political issues around water are problematic. Investors in privately-owned water ventures will need to navigate opportunities with care.