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Demand for Water Will Outstrip Supply by 2030
PORTLAND, OR, Oct 22, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
American Municipal Water Association Annual Meeting - Oracle
(NASDAQ: ORCL)
News Facts
-- Research released today from Oracle Utilities reveals that four in 10
(39 percent) senior executives from water utilities believe the risk
of national water demand outstripping supply as "highly likely," or
essentially certain, outlining the need for a significant shift change
in the management and production of water supplies.
-- The report, "Water for All ," found that wasteful consumer behavior is
seen as the biggest barrier to meeting future demands (45 percent). A
third of respondents also stated that worries over climate change (34
percent) and low tariffs, which fail to stimulate greater investment
(33 percent), are significant barriers.
-- The need to address these challenges is prompting innovation in the
water sector. Water utilities in both developed and developing nations
are deploying technology enabling greater efficiency, such as
desalination technology, network sensors and smart meters, which help
moderate demand and resolve issues efficiently.
-- Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the report surveyed 244
senior water utility executives across 10 countries -- Australia,
Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Russia, Spain, the United
Kingdom and the United States.
-- To read the full report and its research findings, please go to
http://bit.ly/XjQSnB
Research Highlights
-- Increased water stress by 2030: Due to growing demand for water,
caused by increasing populations, changing climate patterns and
wasteful consumer behavior, 39 percent of executives surveyed believe
that the risk of national water demand outstripping supply by 2030 is
"highly likely," while 54 percent believe such a risk is moderately
likely. Failure to address this could result in significant economic,
social and health implications.
-- Barriers to conservation: 45 percent of utilities -- especially in
developed markets -- see wasteful consumer behavior as their biggest
barrier to progress, while another 33 percent believe tariffs are too
low to stimulate greater investment. In developing countries, a lack
of capital for investment tops the list (41 percent), while worries
over climate change stand third overall (34 percent).
-- Encouraging consumer engagement: Half of respondents (49 percent)
believe pricing structures need to be changed to encourage
conservation, while under four in 10 water utilities think water
prices must be held down to ensure fair access to water for all (38
percent). With consumer behavior being the biggest barrier to
conservation, it is critical for water utilities to engage with
consumers to overcome this challenge.
-- Increased investment: Almost all respondents stated that they are
increasing investment to meet supply challenges (93 percent), with
more than one in five (22 percent) increasing investment by 15 percent
or more within the next three years.
-- Innovative industry: Prompted by necessity, the water sector is
becoming an increasingly prominent innovator, due to the
implementation technologies such as smart meters and desalination
solutions. For instance, one fifth of water utilities in developed
markets regularly evaluate new technologies, compared to a third of
developing countries. However, more water utilities must improve their
ability to identify and implement such advances, with over a third (36
percent) unaware of the innovation options available to them.
-- Stumbling blocks: Drought and increased water pollution are seen by
respondents as the biggest risks faced by water utilities, and are
considered the most likely to occur. Similarly, half of respondents
polled felt that that information and support from government bodies
is lacking; while 43 percent recognize they must develop their
management techniques to more precisely model future water
availability or rainfall.
Supporting Quotes
-- "The threat of global climate change has galvanized governments,
organizations and citizens around the world to re-imagine our lives in
ways that contribute to long-term sustainability. Doing so is
challenging us to reprioritize issues, rethink business plans and
reconsider the relationships between people and resources. Nowhere is
this focus on sustainability clearer than in water utilities," said
Rodger Smith, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle
Utilities. "From the 'Water for All ' report findings, it is clear
that maintaining adequate water supplies will require actions from
every stakeholder including customers, governments, environmental
groups, regulators and utilities themselves. Communication and
comprehensive consumer education will be critical to success."
-- "The threat of water scarcity is not an insurmountable challenge, but
to overcome it, water utilities will need to make much more productive
use of water available and better educate their customers about its
value. Fortunately there are innovations in technology and process
being implemented in both developing and developed nations to help
make this a reality. We need to see water utilities, governments and
consumers all contribute more to address these concerns in the coming
years," said Brian Gardner, senior editor with the Economist
Intelligence Unit.
Supporting Resources
-- "Water for All " report
-- Oracle Utilities on Facebook
-- Oracle Utilities on LinkedIn
-- Oracle Utilities on Diigo
-- Oracle Utilities on Twitter
-- Oracle Utilities YouTube Channel
About the Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit
is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which
publishes The Economist newspaper. As the world's leading provider of
country and business intelligence, the Economist Intelligence Unit
helps executives make better decisions by providing timely, reliable
and impartial analysis on worldwide market trends and business
strategies. More information about the Economist Intelligence Unit
can be found at www.eiu.com or follow us on www.twitter.com/theeiu
About Oracle Utilities
Oracle Utilities delivers proven software
applications that help utilities of all types and sizes achieve
competitive advantage, business performance excellence and a lower
total cost of technology ownership. Oracle Utilities integrates
industry-specific customer care and billing, network management, work
and asset management, mobile workforce management and meter data
management applications with the capabilities of Oracle's
industry-leading enterprise applications, business intelligence
tools, middleware, database technologies, as well as servers and
storage. The software enables customers to adapt more nimbly to
market deregulation, meet ever-evolving customer demands and deliver
on environmental conservation commitments. Additionally, Oracle
Utilities helps utilities prepare for smart metering and smart grid
initiatives that enhance efficiency and provide critical intelligence
metrics that can help drive more-informed energy and water usage
decisions for consumers and businesses. For more information, visit
www.oracle.com/goto/utilities.
About Oracle
Oracle engineers hardware and software to work
together in the cloud and in your data center. For more information
about Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL), visit www.oracle.com.
About Oracle in Industries
Oracle industry solutions leverage the
company's best-in-class portfolio of products to address complex
business processes relevant to utilities, helping speed time to
market, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge.
Notes to Editors
Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the
report surveyed 244 senior water utility executives across 10
countries -- Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Russia,
Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. To complement the
survey findings, the Economist Intelligence Unit also conducted
wide-ranging desk research and in-depth interviews with a range of
experts and executives.
Trademark
Oracle and Java are registered
trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be
trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact Info
Candice van der Laan
Oracle
+1.650.506.0814
Email Contact
Janice Clayton
O'Keeffe & Company
+1.443.759.8151
Email Contact
SOURCE: Oracle Corporation
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