Changes

{{WaterEnergy}}'''GE Water & Process Technologies''' describes itself as "a leading global supplier of water treatment, wastewater treatment and process systems solutions." <ref>"[http://www.gewater.com/who_we_are/index.jsp About us]," GE Water & Process Technologies website, accessed February 2009.</ref> GE Water's clients come from a wide range of industries, including the chemical, food / beverage, hydrocarbon processing, mining, metals, paper / pulp, pharmaceutical, power and manufacturing industries, along with local municipalities and governmental agencies. <ref>"[http://www.gewater.com/industries/index.jsp Industries]," GE Water & Process Technologies website, accessed February 2009.</ref> Several of GE Water's products were included in [[General Electric's Ecomagination Campaign]], as announced during a [[General Electric]] event called "Green is Universal," held in Universal City, California in May 2007. <ref>"4 GE Water Treatment Technologies Receive 'ecomagination' Certification," Wireless News, May 25, 2007.</ref> ==Water as big business== In June 2006, GE Water bought [[Zenon Environmental]], a company that produced membranes for water purification. "General Electric, [[Dow Chemical Company]], and other major businesses are citing a growing problem of water availability, both in the United States and internationally, as a trend that is creating an opportunity for businesses to provide products that address the problem," noted the trade press at the time. "Globally, the water market is $365 billion and offers a high growth potential for GE's water technology products." <ref>"Companies See Water as Top Concern, Major Business Opportunity," ''Inside Green Business'', August 16, 2006.</ref> In 2009, GE Water had "an estimated $2.5 billion in revenue," just "a sliver of the $156 billion in sales the world's largest maker of jet engines and electricity-producing turbines is expected to generate this year," according to Reuters. " But executives with Fairfield, Connecticut-based GE said water has the potential to become a major profit contributor. 'What GE tries to do is to align the company with some of the mega-trends, the mega-challenges of the world. Energy is one, healthcare is the other, and the third one is water,' said [[Heiner Markhoff]], president and chief executive of GE Water & Process Technologies." <ref>Scott Malone, "[http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2235851820090811 GE sees tide coming in for water business]," Reuters, August 11, 2009.</ref> ==Tar sands involvement== In October 2008, GE Water signed an agreement with the [[Alberta Water Research Institute]], launching "a $15-million effort focused on developing technologies to improve water usage in the oilsands, and an educational program intended to inform business executives on improved water management methods." Canada's [[Alberta's tar sands|tar sands]] are the dirtiest source of oil, emitting more greenhouse gases and contaminating large volumes of water. <ref name="AWRI">Joseph Caouette, "Research Agreement With GE Aims To Improve Industry Water Management," ''Daily Oil Bulletin'', October 10, 2008.</ref> "The initial priority of the agreement is to reduce the amounts of fresh water and energy used in treatment processes in the oilsands, while also reducing operating costs and capital expenditures," according to the oil trade press. "The water project will employ many technologies already used by GE in the oilsands, such as thermal evaporation systems, mobile filtration units, and advanced membranes." <ref name="AWRI"/> GE has been increasing its tar sands investments for years. In 2007, GE Canada Oil & Gas manager [[Martin Campbell]] said, "It's not just [the oil and gas unit] that the light went on for the activity in the oilsands over the last three years, it's the overall GE -- the water, the financing and energy supply [units]. ... If you roll all those four into one, it has a big impact." At the time, GE Water had just won a tarsands-related contract from [[Suncor Energy]]. <ref>Paul Wells, "GE Looks To Increase Presence In - And Revenues From - Alberta's Oilsands," ''Daily Oil Bulletin'', November 8, 2007.</ref> ==Clients== In 2008, GE Water won a contract from the Government of [[Pakistan]], to provide "GE ultrafiltration systems at over a thousand distribution sites," as part of a government program to increase access to clean drinking water. <ref>Press release, "GE Water Solutions Selected for Pakistan's National Clean Water Initiative," GE Water via Healthcare Finance, Tax & Law Weekly, July 16, 2008.</ref> Also in 2008, GE Water became "an equal coventurer in [[ConocoPhillips]]' Water Sustainability Center in [[Qatar]], which will open later this year." <ref>"GE Water & Process Technologies will become an equal coventurer in ConocoPhillips Water Sustainability Center in Qatar," ''Instrument Business Outlook'', June 30, 2008.</ref> In 2007, GE Water joined [[Poseidon Resources]] Corp., [[American Water]] and [[Acciona Agua]] in investing in California's [[Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Plant]]. IN 1998, Poseidon and the city of Carlsbad began working on a "50-Million-Gallon-Per-Day (MGD) desalination plant," to "draw water from the Pacific Ocean," and help reduce San Diego County's "dependence on imported water from the Sacramento San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River." GE Water CEO [[Jeff Garwood]] said, "By combining this viable business investment with the strength of our [[General Electric's Ecomagination Campaign|ecomagination portfolio]], we will be able to make a real difference for many San Diego County residents facing unprecedented water demands." At the time, GE Water said its "installed desalination systems process more than 2 billion gallons of water a day." <ref>"GE Invests in Southern California Seawater Desalination Project," Wireless News, May 25, 2007.</ref> ==Public relations firms== GE Water has been represented by the international PR firm [[Edelman]] <ref>Press release, "Racepoint Group Appoints Tod Donhauser as Senior Vice President of Its Corporate Practice: New appointment deepens agency's expertise in corporate affairs," Business Wire, October 20, 2008.</ref>, including by Edelman Middle East affiliate [[ASDA'A Public Relations]]. <ref>Press release, "GE launches 2008 World Water Tour in Bahrain," Middle East Company News Wire, March 8, 2008.</ref> Other PR firms listed on GE Water press releases include [[Masto Public Relations]]. <ref>Press release, "GE highlights commitment to Middle East at Saudi Water and Power Forum," Middle East Company News Wire, November 1, 2008.</ref>