10 Stocks That Won't Leave You High and Dry

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- Most of us don't give our water supply much thought. But "free," or at least endless, supplies of relatively cheap water are evaporating, and the enormity of the problem is growing because of rapid climate change and the threat of global warming.

So water price shocks for companies and consumers aren't far off. That will prompt new ways of managing the resource, which is why the long-term prospects for water-industry companies' stocks, ranging from utilities to manufacturers of pipes, chemicals and computerized controllers are so compelling.

"Much of the U.S. water infrastructure dates back to the Great Depression, and the Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2007 that it would require about $335 billion to upgrade and repair just community and not-for-profit water systems," writes a Morningstar analyst. "With municipalities struggling to finance basic repairs and federal funding unable to bridge the gap, the signs point to massive opportunities for investor-owned businesses."

Not to mention the international demand for modern drinking- and waste-water infrastructure design, construction and maintenance.