What to do about looming water shortages? 25% of the world's fresh water is accessible in Upstate New York

Water shortages could be as pressing issue as global warming, according to a recent report by McKinsey.  If the world doesn’t change the way it uses water, humanity will face a major shortfall by 2030, according to the recent report. That’s a deficit of about 40% less water than what would be needed.

Shortages have already prompted higher prices and rationing in California and the Southwest, and water will be a topic on the minds of policy makers from Capetown to Copenhagen when they meet this week.

Yet not enough people are addressing the impending water issue, the McKinsey report notes. The first step, the report suggests, is a resource analysis of where water is, how it used, and how much it really costs. And, it suggests economic opportunity looms for a burgeoning water-conservation and water management industry.

25% of the world's fresh water is accessible from Upstate New York -- in the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, Adirondack lakes, and an extensive network of other interior lakes, rivers and streams.  Some of the world leaders in filtration technologies, such as Pall Trinity, are located in Upstate New York.  Watch for water technologies to be a hot clean tech topic in the coming decade.