Trenchless Pipe Rehabilitation Market (2026-2036)

The growth of this market is mainly driven by the aging of water, sewer, and stormwater pipe networks in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia-Pacific, the high cost and disruption of open-cut pipe replacement in urban areas, large public investment programs for water and wastewater infrastructure, regulatory pressure to reduce sewer overflows, infiltration, and drinking water losses, the proven performance of cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) and other trenchless methods, the growing use of ultraviolet-cured liners and structural lining for pressure pipes, and the lower carbon footprint of trenchless rehabilitation compared with excavation. However, factors such as constrained municipal budgets, limited suitability of some methods for severely deteriorated or undersized pipes, shortages of skilled crews, and concerns about emissions and chemical exposure during installation are expected to restrain the growth of this market to some extent.

Trenchless pipe rehabilitation refers to methods that repair, reline, or replace existing underground pipes without digging continuous trenches along the pipe route. These methods use existing manholes, access pits, or small excavations to insert new liners or pipes, which greatly reduces surface disruption, traffic impacts, restoration costs, and project duration compared with open-cut replacement. The main methods include cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), pipe bursting, sliplining, spray-in-place pipe and coatings, spiral wound and close-fit lining, and lateral and point repair systems. This report covers rehabilitation materials, liners, equipment, and installation services for sewer and wastewater, potable water, stormwater, and gas and industrial pipes, across pipe diameters, end users, and regions. New pipe installation by horizontal directional drilling and microtunneling is excluded. The market is measured on a revenue basis.

Many water and sewer networks in developed countries were built several decades ago, and a large share of pipes are now reaching or exceeding their design life. Deteriorated pipes cause leaks, main breaks, sewer overflows, infiltration and inflow of groundwater and stormwater into sewers, sinkholes, and service interruptions. Replacing these pipes by excavation is expensive and highly disruptive, especially in dense urban areas, where pipes lie under roads, buildings, and other utilities. Trenchless rehabilitation offers a faster, lower-cost, and less disruptive alternative for many pipes.

Cured-in-place pipe is the most widely used trenchless rehabilitation method around the world, and in this method a flexible liner made of felt or glass fiber and impregnated with resin is inserted into the host pipe by inversion or pulling in, then cured using hot water, steam, or ultraviolet light to form a new, jointless pipe within the old one. CIPP is used for sewer mains, laterals, stormwater pipes, and increasingly for pressure pipes. Ultraviolet-cured glass fiber liners have grown quickly because they cure faster, use less energy, and offer high strength with thinner walls.

Pipe bursting replaces an old pipe by breaking it apart and pulling a new pipe, usually high-density polyethylene, into its place, which allows the pipe size to be maintained or increased. Sliplining inserts a smaller new pipe into the existing pipe, and it is commonly used for large-diameter pipes and culverts. Spray-in-place pipe and coatings apply cementitious, epoxy, or polyurea linings to the inside of pipes and structures, and they are widely used for water mains, manholes, and large-diameter sewers. Spiral wound lining uses a profiled strip wound into a pipe inside the host pipe, while close-fit lining reduces the diameter of a polyethylene pipe temporarily so that it can be inserted and then expanded. Lateral and point repair systems address service connections and localized defects.

Sewer and wastewater pipes account for the largest share of the market, since sewers are the main application for CIPP and have experienced significant deterioration and regulatory pressure to reduce overflows and infiltration. Potable water pipes are a fast-growing application, supported by structural lining technologies for pressure pipes, water loss reduction programs, and lead and aging pipe replacement programs. Stormwater pipes and culverts, and gas and industrial pipes account for smaller shares.

Municipal utilities are the main customers, accounting for most of the market, while residential and commercial building owners use trenchless methods for building drains and service laterals, and industrial facilities use them for process and utility pipes. Small-diameter pipes up to 18 inches account for the largest share, since most of the length of sewer and water networks consists of small pipes.

The market includes integrated trenchless contractors, liner and resin manufacturers, equipment suppliers, and specialized installers. Leading companies include Azuria Water Solutions (Insituform), Vortex Companies, Per Aarsleff, Michels, SAERTEX multiCom, IMPREG, Sekisui Chemical, Trelleborg, Sanexen, Primus Line, HammerHead Trenchless, TT Technologies, Nu Flow Technologies, and RELINEEUROPE.

Over the forecast period, the trenchless pipe rehabilitation market is expected to grow steadily, supported by aging infrastructure, public investment programs, regulatory requirements, and technology improvements. North America is expected to remain the largest market, while Asia-Pacific is expected to grow fastest as China, Japan, Australia, and other countries invest in renewing their pipe networks.

Water main breaks are our biggest operational and customer service problem, so we are expanding our structural lining program to renew mains without excavating entire streets.

Many sewers built in the 1960s and 1970s are now failing, and cities prefer trenchless methods because traffic and space constraints make open-cut work very difficult.

North America is expected to account for the largest share of 42.0% of the market in 2026, mainly due to large and aging sewer and water networks, regulatory requirements, public funding, and the presence of leading trenchless companies.

Asia-Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR of 8.9% during the forecast period, driven by aging sewers in Japan, urban pipe renewal in China, rehabilitation programs in Australia, and rapid urbanization.

The report profiles 14 companies, including Azuria Water Solutions (Insituform), Vortex Companies, Per Aarsleff, Michels, SAERTEX multiCom, IMPREG, Sekisui Chemical, Trelleborg, Sanexen, Primus Line, HammerHead Trenchless, TT Technologies, Nu Flow Technologies, and RELINEEUROPE.