WSJ has an article about IBM’s investment in water solutions.

IBM Dives Into Water Venture

Touting 'Smarter Planet,' Big Blue Pushes Technology to Manage Resources

By WILLIAM M. BULKELEY

International Business Machines Corp. is embarking on a new business venture in which it will help manage water resources, an attempt by the technology giant to further expand its footprint outside traditional computer services.

The new business, which is part of IBM's Big Green Innovations initiative to find markets in carbon management, alternative energy and water management, will design and install systems of sensors and back-end software to monitor water pipes, reservoirs, rivers and harbors, according to Sharon Nunes, who heads the Big Green venture.

IBM has been touting its ability to help create a "smarter planet" by designing systems to monitor physical world activities such as electricity flows and traffic patterns. "There's a lot of stress on water systems around the world. With a limited supply, you'd better be able to manage it," said Ms. Nunes. She estimates that information technology for water management could become a $20 billion market.

I was surprised when I heard IBM executives talking about water solutions 2 years ago.

Why water? There is a lot of money that is going to go into water solutions.

Ms. Nunes said stimulus spending in the U.S. and China is likely to help build the market for water management. She estimated that in the U.S. between $15 billion and $20 billion of the new stimulus package is aimed at water projects.