WWi e-newsletter column discusses impact of credit crunch, economy on Mideast water projects

The latest WWi International Industry Report e-newsletter was posted today and I was hoping to get some feedback on my column: "Global Talk: Mideast Faces Troubled Waters with Oil Bust" -- which looks at postponements of water and wastewater projects and forecasts more delays because of the economic downturn, credit crunch and sudden drop late last year in petroleum prices. In the region, effects on ongoing infrastructure improvement efforts are expected to be austere if the average price per barrel (ppb) of oil doesn't rise above 40 ppb

You can view the e-newsletter by clicking here: 031209-WWi-eNL

What are your thoughts on how the economy might affect Mideast water and wastewater projects? Will GCC and other countries in the region have to tap their own reserves from record oil profit surpluses to keep projects rolling?

In addition, one of the column's inserted hyperlinks offers a roundup of related water and wastewater news from the region that includes:
• "'Regional Water Cooperation and Peacebuilding in Middle East' report released"
• "Abu Dhabi's policy reversal on privatisation/nationalisation shows the way"
• "Siemens Financial presents 'Green Financing' for infrastructure projects"
• "GDF SUEZ secures financing for Shuweihat 2 project"
• "Flowserve signs valve manufacturing joint venture with S&A Abahsain"
• "First private desalination plant gets go ahead in Jeddah"
• "Chinese, Saudi firms team on global desal, power project"
• "Environmental impact of seawater use in industry discussed at Doha event"
• "Kahramaa signs contracts for six water projects worth QR2.62bn"
• "G-77 Ministerial Forum on Water wraps up in Oman"
• "Water supply project to Khabourah launched"
• "EU investments in Egypt include €295M toward improved water, wastewater"
• "Malaysian NGO to set up fund for Gaza reconstruction effort"
• "Fear that sewage may contaminate drinking water in, near Gaza"
• "Gaza sewage lagoons could collapse, water authority says"
• "Should Israel keep giving water to neighbors?"
• "Berkefeld supplies water technology for Alstom power plant in Algeria"
• "Water desalination capacity up in North Africa with ERI PX technology"

For additional details on the above news items, click here: Mideast Roundup

David