Whether the drought out West breaks or not, whether global warming will exacerbate the need for new water technology or not, one thing is clear — water infrastructure in the United States needs an upgrade. The question is how will the needed projects be delivered?

Investors looking at infrastructure need not look further than Europe. Developed markets and favorable regulatory regimes are giving investors pause for long-term stability

It may be a set of overstated clichés but that does not make them any less true: The financial crisis hangover and a volatile, low interest rate environment are still driving the thinking of large institutional investors with long-term needs and investment horizons. 

Domestic institutional investors are a potentially important and growing source of capital in emerging economies. Investing domestically can have several advantages: It avoids foreign exchange exposure and risks, and it can contribute to economic growth and development, not only via infrastructure improvements, but also by helping to develop the local financial sector and capital markets.