Operated by Veolia Water, the Kurnell desalination plant is currently Australia's largest operational desalination plant. industry and driving down costs. From France’s Veolia Environnement SA to IDE Technologies Ltd. of Israel and Hyflux Ltd. of Singapore, competition to make money from duplicating the Earth’s water cycle is pushing shares of the companies in the water industry near their 2007 highs. Photographer: Ian Waldie/Bloomberg