With the 2016 Rio Olympics and one of the most watched U.S. elections in modern history headlining the news cycle this past summer it might have been easy to miss a very important story in the world of infrastructure. The operations of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) came into full effect creating the first major multilateral development bank in a generation. Its mandate is to provide loans for infrastructure projects such as energy, communications and transportation. 

When I first learned of the lead poisoning in Flint, Mich., tap water, my first reaction was mortification and paranoia. If it could happen in Flint, it could happen anywhere! Never again, I told myself, will I order tap water at a restaurant; the extra $3.50 is worth avoiding the risk of lead poisoning. 

For institutional investors, an important question is whether they could contribute more to the financing of infrastructure. Two points of qualification: First, it is often overlooked in this debate that pension funds, insurance companies, and other investors have been keen buyers of publicly listed infrastructure stocks and bonds for a long time. Second, investment in unlisted infrastructure is an ongoing process, as investor intention surveys indicate continued interest in this sector.