Liquid Assets: The Big Business of Water

About the Show

Water is our most precious natural resource. With only 3 percent of the world’s water existing as fresh water, nearly every continent is feeling the affects of the global water crisis. For some, it’s the lack of clean drinking water. For farmers, it’s the inability to feed the thirst of valuable crops. Just as “easy oil” has dried up, fresh water has become more difficult to access and transport.

We'll take you to the American West where seven states compete for the same water from the Colorado River Basin. In Alaska and Wisconsin, there is an abundance of water. How can they capitalize on their excess supply? We go to the south of Chile where water rights are bought and sold. Does Chile have the answer to the public vs. private water debate?

While some believe water should be the same as air…free for everyone, others see it as the business opportunity of a lifetime. CNBC’s Michelle Caruso-Cabrera explores a global crisis in the CNBC Original Production "Liquid Assets: The Big Business of Water."

Web Extras

  • People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as paper, cotton clothes and food — you'd be amazed how much water it takes to make a single hamburger. Or the beer you might drink with it.The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the go

    People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as paper, cotton clothes and food — you'd be amazed how much water it takes to make a single hamburger. Or the beer you might drink with it.

  • water_stream_200.jpg

    In parts of Ghana, water has become so scarce that young women ask suitors about the distance to sources of clean water in their communities before accepting marriage proposals.

  • bottled_water_154x116.jpg

    How much do you know about the bottled-water industry? Take our quiz and find out.

  • water_stream_200.jpg
    By: Justin Solomon|CNBC Producer

    MillerCoors is trying to reduce the amount of water it uses to produce beer, through conservation on farms to changes in the manufacturing process.

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