Market Dynamics
Introduction
What is water and wastewater treatment equipment?
Water and wastewater treatment equipment is the technology and machinery employed to treat, purify, and manage water and wastewater to make it safe for human consumption, industrial use, or environmental discharge. This equipment includes filters, clarifiers, disinfection units, sludge treatment systems, and membrane technologies that remove contaminants, solids, and harmful microorganisms from water, ensuring compliance with regulatory and safety standards.
Market Drivers:
Rising Water Scarcity and Population Growth
The increasing scarcity of freshwater resources, coupled with global population growth, is significantly driving the growth water and wastewater treatment equipment market. As of 2024, around 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water, with 703 million lacking basic access. The United Nations projects that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will live in regions with absolute water scarcity, emphasising the urgent need for advanced treatment solutions.
Additionally, the global population, currently at 8 billion, is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, escalating freshwater demand. According to the World Economic Forum, global freshwater demand may exceed supply by 40% by 2030. These factors are pushing governments and industries to invest in wastewater treatment technologies to recycle and reuse water, particularly for non-potable applications like agriculture and industrial processes.
Market Challenges:
High Installation and Operational Costs
High installation, equipment, and operational costs significantly challenge the water and wastewater treatment equipment market due to the capital-intensive nature of modern treatment systems. The expense associated with acquiring and maintaining specialised water treatment equipment, such as membrane filtration systems, UV disinfection units, and advanced chemical dosing technologies, can be substantial, placing a financial burden on operators and facilities. Furthermore, energy consumption, chemical use, and labor costs increase operating expenditures. These financial demands can hinder widespread adoption, particularly in budget-constrained regions or industries, limiting the market’s expansion despite rising water treatment needs.
Market Opportunities:
Smart Water Management and Data Analysis
Smart water management and data analysis present a major growth opportunity for the water and wastewater treatment equipment market. The integration of IoT sensors, automation, and data analytics into the water treatment processes enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and operational optimisation. This enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and supports sustainability goals.
Moreover, smart water management solutions enable leak detection, anomalies, and inefficiencies in water distribution and treatment networks, allowing for early intervention and saving of resources. Increasing global focus on digitalisation and resource conservation is further accelerating investment in smart water technologies.
Key Players
Most of the major players compete in some of the factors, including price, service offerings, regional presence, etc. The following are the key players in the water and wastewater treatment equipment market -
- Xylem, Inc.
- Pentair plc.
- Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
- Aquatech International LLC
- Ecolab Inc.
- DuPont
- Calgon Carbon Corporation
- Toshiba Water Solutions Private Limited (TOSHIBA CORPORATION)
- Veolia Group
- Ecologix Environmental Systems, LLC
Note: The above list does not necessarily include all the top players in the market.
Are you a leading player in this market? We would love to include your name. Please write to us at sales@stratviewresearch.com
Recent Developments/Mergers & Acquisitions:
- In May 2025, Veolia announced the acquisition of the remaining 30% stake in Water Technologies and Solutions (WT&S) from Quebec's CDPQ for $1.75 billion, gaining full ownership. This strategic move is expected to yield €90 million ($102.3 million) in cost synergies by 2027.
- In April 2024, Thermax inaugurated a cutting-edge production in Pune for manufacturing advanced water and wastewater treatment solutions. This milestone highlights Thermax’s dedication to resource conservation and long-term sustainability. Spanning two acres, the facility is a demonstration of the company's commitment to engineering excellence through innovation, quality, and customer focus.
Report Features
This report provides market intelligence most comprehensively. The report structure has been kept so that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights into market dynamics and will enable strategic decision-making for existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:
- Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.
- Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter’s five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.
- Market trend and forecast analysis.
- Market segment trend and forecast.
- Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, Service portfolio, New Product Launches, etc.
- COVID-19 impact and its recovery curve.
- Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.
- Emerging trends.
- Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.
- Key success factors.
Market Segmentation
This report studies the market, covering a period of 12 years of trend and forecast. The report provides detailed insights into the market dynamics to enable informed business decision-making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market.
The Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market is segmented into the following categories.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market, by Type
- Filtration
- Disinfection
- Desalination
- Sludge Treatment
- Biological
- Testing
Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market, by Process Type
- Primary
- Secondary
- Tertiary
Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market, by End-User Type
Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market, by Region
- North America (Country Analysis: The USA, Canada, and Mexico)
- Europe (Country Analysis: Germany, France, Italy, The UK, and Rest of Europe)
- Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan, China, India, and Rest of Asia-Pacific)
- Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Others)
Report Customization Options
With this detailed report, Stratview Research offers one of the following free customization options to our respected clients:
Company Profiling
- Detailed profiling of additional market players (up to three players)
- SWOT analysis of key players (up to three players)
Competitive Benchmarking
- Benchmarking of key players on the following parameters: Service portfolio, geographical reach, regional presence, and strategic alliances
Custom Research: Stratview Research offers custom research services across industries. In case of any custom research requirement related to market assessment, competitive benchmarking, sourcing and procurement, target screening, and others, please send your inquiry to sales@stratviewresearch.com