The Role of the Utilities Sector in Expanding Economic Opportunity

Utilities firms play integral roles in creating wealth in both the developed and developing worlds. Water and sanitation, for instance, are fundamental to human sustenance, health, and dignity, and by extension to economic opportunity. Affordable and reliable energy is integral to household productivity and the development of most industries, from agriculture to finance to health care to communications. Critical gaps in water, sanitation, and energy services exist in developing countries, particularly among the poor - whether in rural villages or urban slums. Worldwide, at least 1.2 billion people lack access to clean water,2 2.6 billion lack access to basic sanitation services,3 and 1.6 billion lack access to electricity.