Miya Water Makes $30 Million Investment in Brazil Firm To Cut Water Loss In Cities

Flowers in Brazil won’t hide leaky pipes forever.

Israel already has made great strides in the area of water loss prevention technologies, especially with companies like Arad Technologies (their drone plane that detects leaks) and Leviathan Energy.

These kinds of technologies get another push in the market:  MIYA, (pronounced me-ya) a municipal water loss prevention company, held under the umbrella of the Arison Investment Group, just bought controlling shares of the the Brazilian water technologies company Bureau Brasileiro Ltda (BBL), reports Globes.

The investment made was worth NIS 100 million (about $30 million USD today). The interest in Brazil is for MIYA to get a foothold in the Latin American market. Brazil is an excellent place to start since it’s known worldwide for its investments in the environment in areas such as biofuels and transportation.

The Brazilian engineering company BBL builds turn-key projects to improve municipal water systems in general, with a focus on water conservation. Arison Investments is interested in being involved in the water technologies business in Brazil as well as in other parts of South America, according to Arison Investments Chairwoman, Efrat Peled. By integrating the technology of the two companies, MIYA hopes to reduce municipal water loss in large cites from a present estimated loss of 28% to around 13%.

According to MIYA, about a third of the world’s drinking water is being wasted through leaking pipes and valves. By utilizing existing technologies to find these leaks and repair them with new piping and more advanced valves, much of this water loss can be prevented.

Booky Oren, a former head of Israel’s national Mekorot Water Company says that this form of technology (i.e. water loss prevention) is part of Shari Arison’s vision. She’s the Arison Investment’s Chairperson.

Both MIYA and BBL will be involved in water conservation projects utilizing equipment such as special hydraulic control valves produced by another Israeli company Dorot Control Valves, which has been involved in designing and producing these valves since 1946; and whose products are now being used in a number of countries such as the US and Canada to prevent water loss in uses such as agriculture, fire protection, irrigation, drinking water conveyance, and industry.

One might wonder why the Arison Investment Group is so keen on being involved in water loss prevention projects in South America when these kinds of projects are so badly needed in the Middle East, including the company’s home country, Israel. It turns out that Israel currently is already a leader in reducing municipal water loss, due to this technology already being used there. Israel is also leading technology in recycling sewage and other waste water and has exported this technology to countries abroad, including those in Africa.

According to Arison Investments chairwoman Peled:

“This creates a golden opportunity for MIYA, which integrates advanced water technologies in the world with expertise in the carrying out of large-scale water projects of this kind.”

Perhaps, Peled and Arison are hoping that some of Israel’s neighbors will take advantage of this very needed technology, by acquiring it indirectly via BBL, or even directly from its Israeli source. These kinds of projects have been known to happen, hint, hint.

Photo via Braveheart

More on water loss technologies and the problem:
Arad Group and Leviathan Technologies Find Leaks and Generate Power From Water Pipes
Water Security in the Middle East?
Agricultural “Roots” of Israel’s Water Crises