The number of listed companies exclusively focused on this commodity, so-called pure plays, is small, fund managers and analysts said.
"Everyone wants to do something about water, but it's just difficult to do so through public equities," said Morningstar's Blue. Cedric Lecamp, manager of the $9.2 billion Pictet-Water Strategy, said his firm has identified 360 companies with a "meaningful exposure to the water theme.", which owns water quality businesses but derives most of its revenue from the life sciences and diagnostics sectors, according to company filings.