Last week we looked at the impact of the prevailing drought conditions in several communities across Jamaica. Many people are experiencing tremendous hardship and increased spending requirements as they attempt to acquire water for domestic and business use.

So much in our world depends on the supply of water. People, animals and plants need water to survive, many businesses rely on water to produce goods and services, and water also provides recreational benefits. Without water, life as we know it would cease to exist.

Despite the various challenges that arise when the supply of this precious resource is curtailed, lucrative opportunities may also crop up in this time of scarcity. As the saying goes, “nature abhors a vacuum.” When there is a lack of an essential item, something must develop to fill the void.

Supply people’s wants and needs

Smart entrepreneurs will happily embrace periods of scarcity, as they understand that shortages actually provide them with opportunities to help people and make profit. So instead of feeling miserable about the lack of water, perhaps you should be looking out for ways to benefit from the drought.

Water is an indispensable utility; if their normal supply of this resource is restricted, people will make sacrifices to procure it. Drought time is abundant business time for suppliers of trucked water as they are on constant call to supply the precious commodity to households and businesses.

Other enterprises which may bloom during the drought include the sale of bottled water, supply of plastic water containers, installation of water tanks and the erection of wells to source underground water. To make money at this time, you just need to give the people what they want – water!

Utilise international best practices

As we look for ways to alleviate the problems caused by the seasonal drought here in Jamaica, we need to cast our vision overseas to learn from nations who have been ravaged from the lack of water for years. Local entrepreneurs can also adapt viable ideas from international sources.

One company, Drinkwell, has used the water crisis to develop social entrepreneurship in regions across Asia. Utilising a proprietary system to purify water from contaminants, along with a network of local micro-entrepreneurs to distribute the potable water, Drinkwell has turned water into cash.

There is much to be learned from the business model that Drinkwell has employed to engage small enterprises in the provision of its service. Instead of one big company making all the money from selling water, Drinkwell’s model ensures that profits will filter down to benefit entire communities.

Replicate technology and trends

There are many products and services designed to alleviate the drought conditions which are being utilised in other areas of the world that could be successfully duplicated here. A detailed search of the internet will reveal many business opportunities for Jamaicans to exploit.

One option that could reap profit for persons with green thumbs is xeriscaping, a term combining the Greek word for dry with landscaping. The concept is using proper planning to create drought-resistant gardens with the effective use of irrigation, soil and drought-friendly plant selection.

Another business idea is establishing rainwater harvesting systems that are affordable for most local households. I am also intrigued by the technology that allows machines to harness water from the atmosphere. Although costly, these products may find a foothold in Jamaica in the future.

Get innovative to solve problems

You definitely need to think creatively if you’re looking for a way to make money from the drought, as there are many unmet needs at this time. Ask yourself, apart from not getting water in their taps, what are some of the other problems that people face during a period of water shortage?

One resourceful Jamaican entrepreneur, Jovan Evans, recognised that most people are annoyed when they can’t take a shower without piped water. While experiencing this privation during water restrictions in 2013, he conceptualised a product to resolve this dilemma and used it for himself.

Evans shelved the idea once water normality returned, but subsequent lock-offs indicated to a long-term need for his solution. After improving his prototype, Evans now retails his award-winning Pump-N-Spray, a foot-operated dispenser that allows you to shower with just a 5-litre water bottle.

It has been said that in times of crisis, new millionaires are born. Jamaicans have traditionally been world leaders in music and sports. Could this period of drought give rise to local innovators with practical ideas which can help to mitigate or even solve the world’s water crisis?

Copyright © 2015 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, July 23, 2015.

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Cherryl is a money coach and business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. See more of her work at www.entrepreneursinjamaica.com and www.financiallysmart.org. Contact Cherryl