IBM sees big opportunity in water management IT

"This to me is an area that's really going to explode in the next three to five years," said Sharon Nunes, who heads IBM's Big Green Innovations initiative. "People see it as a gap. The water market is transforming."

Big Green Innovations, a play on IBM's nickname Big Blue, is part of IBM's so-called 'smarter planet' initiative that aims to apply information technology to efficiently manage electrical grids, transportation systems and other infrastructure.

"We are actually looking at three different markets -- industrial sector, for example food and beverage companies ..., local and municipal governments, water utilities," said Sharon Nunes.

Her group looks at business opportunities in sectors such as water, carbon management, solar technology and desalination.

"We are in discussions with a lot of food and beverage companies and some of the industrial processing companies," Nunes said, referring to new water management contracts.