The Water and Wastewater Treatment Market is expected to reach a value of $956.48 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period 2022–2032. The growth of the water and wastewater treatment market is driven by factors, such as the rapid population growth and urbanization, stringent water treatment regulations, the rising need for new water resources, the growing emphasis on water quality and public health, and the increasing prevalence of waterborne diseases.
Furthermore, the growing demand for energy-efficient and advanced water treatment technologies is expected to provide significant growth opportunities for water and wastewater treatment system providers in the coming years. However, the high installation, maintenance, and operational costs are expected to hinder the growth of this market to a notable extent. In addition, the aging and deterioration of existing water infrastructure are the major challenges for the growth of the water and wastewater treatment market.
Impact of COVID-19 on the Water and Wastewater Treatment Market
The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected numerous economies globally. Governments worldwide imposed nationwide lockdowns to curb the spread of this disease, impacting many manufacturing and service industries, including the water and wastewater treatment market.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the water sector supply chain, adversely impacting people's livelihood worldwide. Numerous water and wastewater treatment technologies, including biological wastewater treatment, gained popularity among industries in this scenario. Biological wastewater treatment systems are being used worldwide as it is more economical and effective than other processes, such as mechanical and chemical.
The increasing demand for wastewater treatment is attributed to the growing necessity for an effective approach for the proper disposal of industrial wastewater. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the need for proper and advanced wastewater treatment in hospitals to curb the spread of the virus. As a result, decentralized wastewater treatment plants with multiple disinfection barriers in quarantine centers and isolation wards gained popularity during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic also slowed down investments for the installation of new water and wastewater treatment plants in many micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises/businesses worldwide due to the decline in revenues and outcomes. It also increased the importance of operational reliability due to the cost of disruption. Many large sectors that use water have downscaled or reduced activities resulting in declining industrial demand. The decline in demand from large industrial and commercial users due to lockdowns and travel restrictions is expected to significantly reduce water utility revenues. A survey by the Global Water Leaders Group estimates that the industrial demand for water will fall by an average of 27 % due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deeper revenue losses are projected across the whole water supply chain, including operators, technology companies, contractors, chemical suppliers, and consultants.
Furthermore, operations were affected due to the increased risk of infection among utility staff. Operational continuity and flexibility are key to keeping essential water and sanitation services running while also pushing forward ongoing construction projects. Many governments identified people working in the water and sewerage industry as essential workers, enabling utilities to maintain continuity of service. Supply chain and logistics disruptions have also been reported. These factors are expected to impact the water and wastewater treatment market.
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Rapid Population Growth, Urbanization, and Stringent Water Treatment Regulations
By 2050, more than half of the global population (57%) is expected to live in areas with water scarcity for at least one month each year. The increasing global population, especially the urban population, remains a central factor for industrial expansion. The majority of the world’s population growth in the next 40 years is expected to live in urban areas, particularly in developing regions. Urbanization leads to increased pressure on water resources as the population becomes more concentrated in one area. The rise in per capita water consumption driven by development further increases the water demand and strains the local water capacity. By 2050, nearly 6 billion people are expected to suffer from clean water scarcity (Source: United Nations World Water Development Report).
Although water withdrawals for domestic and municipal use globally account for a modest part of total water use, they are growing rapidly, especially due to population growth in the urban areas of developing countries. With the rapid growth in the global population and urbanization, the global demand for water supply and sanitation services is also expanding. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 74% of the global population, or 5.5 billion people, had used basic sanitation services in 2017. With the increase in water use and sanitation services, wastewater generation is increasing exponentially.
In 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population is expected to live in cities. Rapid urbanization creates opportunities for economic development; however, it also increases the use of freshwater resources. More urban waste is likely to contaminate water with multiple pollutants, such as nutrients and pathogens from human excretion, plastics, and chemicals from personal care products. This is expected to accelerate the demand for water and wastewater technologies in the coming years.
In addition, industrial production is also increasing rapidly to serve the growing population. Various industries depend heavily on water for the processing, cooling, and disposal of waste products. The demand for water in industrial applications is rising along with rapid industrialization to meet the requirements of the growing population. With the rising industrialization, the generation of wastewater is increasing rapidly. According to the Indian environment research organization, every liter of wastewater industry discharge pollutes a further 5-8 liters of fresh water on average. Many industries worldwide are facing the challenge of water shortages and are increasingly looking for ways to reduce water consumption and reclaim and reuse wastewater. The planned use of treated wastewater can increase resource efficiency and benefit the ecosystem and balanced industrial development.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in 2017, most of Europe’s municipal and industrial wastewater generated (71%) underwent treatment, while only 20% was treated in Latin America. In the Middle East and North Africa, an estimated 51% of the municipal and industrial wastewater was treated. The treatment of wastewater and its use and disposal in the humid regions of high-income countries are controlled by stringent effluent discharge regulations and public awareness about environmental quality (especially in North America, Northern Europe, and Japan).
Regulations regarding the treatment and disposal of wastewater are becoming stringent. In the EU, the main objective of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive is to protect the environment from the adverse effects of wastewater discharges. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) established a framework for protecting rivers, lakes, transitional waters (estuaries), coastal waters, and groundwater. It aims to ensure that all surface water bodies are at good chemical and ecological status, displaying minimal signs of impacts from human development. Thus, the demand for wastewater treatments has increased due to growing industrialization, population, and urbanization, driving the growth of the global water and wastewater treatment market.
Key Findings of the Study:
Wastewater Treatment Segment to Grow Significantly During Forecast Period
Based on type, the wastewater treatment segment is expected to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is attributed to the rapid growth in industrialization & urbanization, the rising focus on water quality from the industrial sector, depletion of freshwater resources, the increasing necessity for recycling and reusing water, and the growing focus on industrial wastewater treatments.
Process Control & Automation Segment Slated to Register Highest Market Growth
Based on offering, the process control & automation segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is attributed to the growing need for meeting the government-mandated quality standards of drinking water and managing wastewater and factors such as cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and lower workforce requirements for monitoring and managing wastewater.
Industrial Applications Segment to Witness Rapid Market Growth
Based on application, the industrial applications segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is attributed to the growing industrialization and urbanization, the rising focus on water quality from the industrial sector, depletion of freshwater resources, the growing necessity for recycling and reusing water, and the increasing advancements in industrial wastewater treatment technologies.
Asia-Pacific to Be the Fastest-growing Regional Market by Value
Based on geography, Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing regional market during the forecast period. The high market growth in Asia-Pacific is attributed to the rapid population growth and urbanization, the rising demand for advanced treatment of residential water, advances in membrane technology, increased environmental deterioration, limited availability of water resources, and the increasing number of investments in water infrastructure by public sector organizations in the region.
Key Players
The report includes a competitive landscape based on an extensive assessment of the key strategies adopted by the leading market players in the water and wastewater treatment market over the last four years. The key players operating in the water and wastewater treatment market are Suez Environnement S.A. (France), Veolia Environnement SA. (France), Xylem, Inc. (U.S.), DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (U.S.), 3M Company, Inc. (U.S.), Pentair plc (U.K.), United Utilities Group PLC (U.K.), Kingspan Group Plc (U.K.), The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), BASF SE (Germany), Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Japan), Bio-Microbics, Inc. (U.S.), Calgon Carbon Corporation (U.S.), Trojan Technologies Inc. (Canada), Kemira Oyj (Finland), Thermax Limited (India), Wog Technologies (India), Golder Associates, Inc. (Canada), SWA Water Technologies PTY LTD. (Australia), Burns & McDonnell (U.S.), Adroit Associates Private Limited (India), Sauber Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (India), SPEC Limited (India), Ecolab, Inc. (U.S.), GFL Environmental Inc. (U.S.), and Clean TeQ Water Limited (Australia).
Scope of the Report:
Water and Wastewater Treatment Market, by Type
- Wastewater Treatment
- Water Treatment
Water and Wastewater Treatment Market, by Offering
- Treatment Technologies
- Membrane Separation and Filtration
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes
- Ultrafiltration (UF) Membranes
- Microfiltration (MF) Membrane
- Nanofiltration (NF) Membranes
- Other Filtration Technologies
- Sludge Management Technology
- Activated Sludge
- Clarification
- Chlorination
- Industrial Demineralization
- Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
- UV and Ozone
- Dissolved Air Flotation
- Other Treatment Technologies
- Treatment Chemicals
- Process Control and Automation
- Design, Engineering, and Construction Services
- Operation and Maintenance Services
Water and Wastewater Treatment Market, by Application
- Municipal Applications
- Industrial Applications
- Food & Beverages
- Food and Beverage Market By Type
- Food and Beverages Wastewater Treatment Market
- Food and Beverages Water Treatment Market
- Food and Beverages Market, By Offering
- Treatment Technologies Market
- Treatment Chemicals Market
- Process Control and Automation Market
- Design, Engineering, and Construction Services Market
- Operation and Maintenance Services Market
- Food and Beverages Market, By Food Category
- Dairy
- Cheese
- Ice Cream
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- Prepared Food
- Powdered Food
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Meat, Poultry, And Seafood
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Other Clusters/Sub-Industries
- Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals
- Power Generation
- Pulp and Paper
- Oil & Gas
- Mining
- Petrochemical
- Semiconductors
- Other Industrial Applications
Water and Wastewater Treatment Market, by Geography
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- Japan
- Indonesia
- Australia
- South Korea
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- New Zealand
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- North America
- Europe
- Germany
- Spain
- France
- U. K.
- Italy
- Poland
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Rest of Europe
- Latin America
- Brazil
- Chile
- Argentina
- Rest of Latin America
- Middle East & Africa
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Kuwait
- Iran
- South Africa
- Rest of the Middle East & Africa
Key Questions Answered in this Report: