Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market Size, Shares, and Trends Report: U.S. and Global Growth

The global water and wastewater treatment equipment market size was valued at $61.60 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4 percent from 2021 to 2028. Rising demand for clean water due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, coupled with diminishing freshwater resources, is anticipated to propel the product demand over the forecast period.

Rising environmental concerns, coupled with the necessity to comply with stringent government regulations pertaining to water and wastewater treatment across the globe, are likely to boost market growth, as are increasing investments in wastewater treatment facilities.

The United States dominated the North America regional market in 2020 because of the presence of well-developed water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, along with stringent regulations regarding effluent discharge. In addition, the rising need to upgrade the existing facilities of aging infrastructure in the country is estimated to augment market growth.

The global market has witnessed the development of advanced components, including membranes and filters, which offer high functional efficiency and operate for a longer duration. In addition, rising demand for clean water from refineries and the development of advanced components to treat effluents in oil and gas, and also manufacturing industries, are anticipated to drive the market over the forecast period.

Several government authorities have introduced strict regulations regarding wastewater emissions from the industrial and municipal sectors, which will drive the product demand in the years to come. The high cost, however, associated with the operation, maintenance, and monitoring of wastewater treatment plants, is likely to restrain market growth to some extent.

Equipment Insights

The membrane separation segment led the market and accounted for 19.7 percent of the global revenue share in 2020. This segment will register the fastest CAGR from 2021 to 2028. Membrane separation is a physical treatment technology where feed water is forced at high pressure through a semipermeable membrane to separate specific materials from the solution. Membrane separation offers several advantages, such as minimum operation area and high filtration efficiency, over the existing techniques.

Biological treatment is usually a secondary process used to remove contaminants remaining after primary treatment. Stringent regulations aimed at controlling water pollution in the manufacturing and municipal sectors through the utilization of ecofriendly means in developed markets, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Japan, are expected to increase the need for biological treatment equipment.

The sludge treatment segment of the market

is expected to have the second-highest CAGR over the forecast period. These systems include sludge screening, drying, dewatering, and thickening. Sludge screening equipment is used to remove solids, such as hair, plastics, and fibers, to prevent the disruption of subsequent sludge treatment processes.

Another common disinfection technique is ultraviolet (UV). A UV system consists of a UV light source that is placed inside a transparent protective sleeve. As the water passes through the flow chamber, the UV rays are introduced into the water supply to destroy bacteria, as well as inactivate several viruses in the water.

Process Insights

Primary treatment is used for separating floating materials and heavy solids from effluent. Wastewater is passed through several tanks and filters that separate water from contaminants. Low operating costs and high market visibility are expected to play a crucial role in increasing the application scope of primary treatment over the forecast period.

The secondary treatment process segment is expected to register the second-fastest CAGR of 4 percent from 2021 to 2028. Secondary treatment is used mainly for removing soluble organic matter and chemicals, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, by using trickling filters, biotowers, rotating biological contactors, and activated sludge systems. The biological processes used in secondary treatment can either be aerobic or anaerobic.

The tertiary treatment process segment led the market in 2020, accounting for over 43 percent of the global revenue share. Tertiary treatment is used to improve effluent quality before the water is reused or discharged into the environment. In this process, the inorganic substances and compounds, viruses, bacteria, and parasites left after secondary treatment processes are removed to make water ideal for reuse.

A membrane bioreactor is another advanced treatment system that integrates the conventional biological treatment processes, such as the activated sludge process with membrane filtration, to provide more-efficient and moreeffective removal of organic and suspended solids. The solid/liquid filtration is achieved by using microfiltration or ultrafiltration membranes.

Application Insights

The municipal application segment led the market and accounted for 66.1 percent of the global revenue share in 2020. Growing urban populations, along with favorable government policies focused on promoting infrastructure Continued on page 20

Continued from page 21 development, are expected to increase the product demand in the municipal sector, especially in developing markets like China, India, and Brazil.

Municipal wastewater treatment facilities are primarily used to protect water resources and natural aquatic systems by eliminating effluent organic matter, pathogens, and nutrients from wastewater. Rising awareness pertaining to wastewater treatment and the increasing government focus on improving water and wastewater treatment infrastructure across the globe are expected to boost the segment growth over the forecast period.

The industrial application segment is likely to witness a CAGR of 4.1 percent over the forecast period. This segment provides a wide application scope for fresh and processed water in several industries. Rapid industrialization, technological developments, and an increasing number of production units result in high demand for fresh and processed water. The aforementioned factors are anticipated to augment the product penetration in the industrial segment.

A rising number of industrial activities and rapid urbanization have led to environmental deterioration owing to untreated or inadequately treated industrial wastewater effluents. Growing awareness, however, about environmental degradation and the increased stringency of regulations pertaining to the discharge of effluents from industries into water bodies are expected to drive this segment growth.

Stringent federal and state regulations pertaining to wastewater in the U.S., coupled with increasing upgrades due to aging infrastructure, are expected to support market growth in the country. Moreover, increasing oil and gas exploration activities in the U.S. and Canada are expected to drive the product demand, thereby augmenting the market growth in North America.

The Asia Pacific area led the global market and accounted for a revenue share of 33.9 percent in 2020. The regional market is estimated to expand further at the fastest CAGR from 2021 to 2028. Increasing investments in the wastewater management sector, coupled with the rapidly expanding manufacturing sector, are likely to have a positive impact on market growth. Furthermore, the growing residential sector in the region is expected to boost product penetration in municipal wastewater facilities.

The market in Europe is also anticipated to witness significant growth over the forecast period. Stringent laws and directives, such as the Water Framework Directive, Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and the Drinking Water Directive, are anticipated to increase spending on water and wastewater treatment equipment in the region.

Major factors contributing to water pollution in Central and South America, including industrial waste, sewage, and leaking landfills and increased concerns about health and safety, are expected to drive product demand in the regional market. Water pollution is considered a major health and environmental concern in Brazil.

Key Companies and Market Share Insights

The market is characterized by the presence of both multinational and regional players that are engaged in the design, manufacturing, distribution, and installation of a wide range of products. Major companies have invested heavily in research and development initiatives and are also focusing on integrating advanced technologies to develop solutions that can be utilized across the market.

Companies are also focusing on economies of scale, as water and wastewater treatment equipment is widely used in industrial and municipal sectors. Market participants are forming partnerships with industrial companies to provide technical expertise in many sectors, including food and beverages, as well as and oil and gas.

Some prominent players in the global water and wastewater treatment equipment market include: