We are at the crux of disaster—a crisis so big that it already affects well over one billion people and will soon affect everyone on earth.

The calamity we face is a serious lack of fresh water.

All over the world, wells are running dry, aquifers are shrinking, and rivers are so polluted they no longer can sustain aquatic life.

This is a problem we read about everyday, and yet it rarely leaves a lasting impression. One look at just a few headlines from the past few weeks serves to illustrate the severity of the problem.

• Las Vegas Growth Depends on Dwindling Water Supply
• $82 Million Water Pipeline to Lexington Proposed
• Seawater Could Help Solve Florida Water Woes
• Iraq Calls for Water Treaty to Avert Crisis
• El Paso's 15-year Wait for Desalination Plant is Over

Here we have a major U.S. city and tourist attraction that's growth is contingent upon securing additional water supplies; a city in Kentucky that's struggling to provide adequate water to its citizens; a coastal U.S. state already having to rely on desalination for ample water; a country in the Middle East already in shambles, now having to face even more problems as the Tigris and Euphrates shrink; and a Western Texas city that's clearly had insufficient water for well over a decade.

And while all of these stories are prime examples of the water woes being felt around the world, the El Paso story is particularly poignant.

Earlier this month, the City of El Paso opened up an $87 million desalination plant capable of supplying 27.5 million gallons of drinking water daily.

But here's the kicker—El Paso is nowhere near an ocean or a gulf. The closest saline body of water, the Gulf of California, is over 350 miles away. Take a look:

You see, that part of the country is so dry, and has used so much of its groundwater supply, that saltwater is now coming in from underground and filling their wells and aquifers. This phenomenon is called saltwater intrusion. And it's happening all over the world.

Not Just Scratching the Surface

As you can see, the looming water crisis isn't just about what lies on the surface. This is an issue that runs very deep.

With disappearing groundwater supplies and an aging and decrepit infrastructure, avoiding this calamity will surely prove to be a monumental task requiring unprecedented investment.

And, as is always the case with crises, there are plenty of opportunities to capitalize on the solutions that will help revamp the water infrastructure and ensure the continued availability of clean freshwater.

The obvious play here would be water utilities—and that's not a bad route to take. In fact, in any random five-year period during the last 25 years, water utilities outperformed all other leading industry groups on a total return basis.

Plus, with the dividends they pay, it's usually hard to go wrong.

But if you want the quick, hard-hitting gains now emerging in the water sector, you have to look beyond just the utilities and do a little digging to find the companies providing purification and desalination systems, pipes, pumps, chemicals, valves and meters, and other technologies that aid in the production and delivery of safe water.

And Green Chip has had its eye on a good play in this sector for a while now.

World Water and Power (WWAT.OB) provides water and power solutions using solar technology. The devices they manufacture and sell are capable of pumping and purifying water remotely, using only solar power.

The units are modular and are mounted on trailers that can be towed nearly anywhere in the world. From disaster preparedness to emergency response, the uses for these units are truly limitless.

In the Green Chip Stocks portfolio since early 2005, our readers have seen gains in excess of 425% on this single water-related play alone. Take a look:

And this isn't the only water stock going gangbusters. With global water concerns coming to a head, the entire industry is buzzing anticipations.

For that reason, I have created the Green Chip Water Index, a compilation of 20 companies that stand to make huge gains as the water crunch is realized.

One of the picks is up over 115% since January!

To gain access to this incredible index and receive updates on the water industry and its dominate players, you have to be a Green Chip Stocks member.

To make that happen by taking advantage of our special discounted rate, click here .

Until next time,

Nick