Industrial Wastewater Treatment Market: A Report on Growth and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Market Overview and Growth Projections

The Industrial Wastewater Treatment Market is projected to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.4% during the 2024-2031 forecast period. This growth is intrinsically linked to the global imperative to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning water, sanitation, and responsible industrial practices.

The market comprises the technologies, services, and chemical solutions essential for managing wastewater from key industrial sectors, including chemicals, oil & gas, food & beverages, and textiles. The primary objective is to treat industrial effluent to remove pollutants, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and enabling water reuse. This directly supports the achievement of several critical SDGs.

Market Drivers and Contribution to Global Sustainability

Core Objectives and SDG Impact

The industrial wastewater treatment sector is fundamental to advancing global sustainability agendas. Its core functions align directly with the following SDGs:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The market’s central purpose is to treat contaminated water, preventing pollution of freshwater resources and ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water for all.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: By enabling the treatment and recycling of industrial water, the market promotes resource efficiency and encourages industries to adopt sustainable production patterns.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: Effective wastewater treatment prevents the discharge of harmful pollutants, including heavy metals and chemicals, into marine and freshwater ecosystems, thereby conserving aquatic life.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The market drives innovation in treatment technologies and promotes the development of resilient infrastructure necessary for sustainable industrialization.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By mitigating industrial pollution, the sector helps protect urban water supplies and reduces the environmental impact of industrial activities on communities.

Competitive Landscape and Strategic Initiatives

Prominent Market Participants

Key players shaping the market include:

• Ecolab Inc.
• SUEZ
• Kemira
• SNF
• Dow
• Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
• Feralco AB
• Veolia
• Solenis
• IXOM

Strategic Focus on Innovation and SDG Alignment

Companies are concentrating on strategic initiatives, such as new product development, to meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions. Recent developments highlight the industry’s commitment to innovation in line with the SDGs:

1. Advanced Filtration Technology (May 2025): The launch of an advanced membrane filtration system by a major U.S. chemical company exemplifies progress towards SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). This technology enhances the efficiency of industrial water recycling, directly supporting the circular economy principles of SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
2. AI-Powered Monitoring Solutions (August 2024): A partnership between a U.S. tech startup and a water utility introduced an AI-powered solution for real-time effluent monitoring. This collaboration embodies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and leverages cutting-edge technology (SDG 9) to protect water resources from heavy metal contamination, a critical action for SDG 6 and SDG 14.

Market Segmentation Analysis

The market is segmented to address diverse industrial needs, with each segment contributing to the overarching goal of sustainable water management.

By Equipment Type

• Ultrafiltration System
• Paper Bed Filter
• Vacuum Evaporation and Distillation
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) System
• Tramp Oil Separator
• Solid Bowl Centrifuges
• Vacuum Filter
• Others

By Method

• Biological
• Filtration
• Sludge Treatment
• Disinfection
• Others

By Chemical Type

• PH Conditioner
• Coagulants & Flocculant
• Disinfectant & Biocidal Product
• Scale & Corrosion Inhibitor
• Antifoam Chemical
• Others

By End-User

The application of these technologies across various sectors is crucial for industry-wide progress on SDG 12.

• Power Generation
• Oil and Gas
• Chemical
• Food and Beverage
• Mining
• Others

Geographic Analysis and Regional Commitments to SDGs

The global market analysis covers six key regions, where growth is heavily influenced by regional regulatory frameworks and commitments to environmental sustainability and the SDGs.

• North America (US, Canada, Mexico)
• Europe (Germany, Russia, UK, France, Italy, Rest of Europe)
• Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, Rest of Asia Pacific)
• South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Rest of South America)
• Middle East
• Africa

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The article’s central theme is the treatment of industrial wastewater to remove pollutants and ensure safe discharge or reuse, directly aligning with the goal of ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The text discusses technological advancements like “advanced membrane filtration systems” and “AI-powered monitoring solutions” to improve industrial processes, making them more efficient and sustainable. This connects to building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – By focusing on treating industrial wastewater, managing chemicals, and enabling water reuse, the article addresses the need for environmentally sound management of waste and the efficient use of natural resources (water), which are key components of sustainable production patterns.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  • Target 6.3: “By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.” The article directly supports this target by describing the market for technologies designed to “remove pollutants,” “enable water reuse or safe discharge,” and treat wastewater from various industries.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes…” The article highlights the adoption of “advanced membrane filtration system” and “AI-powered monitoring solutions” as key developments, which represent the upgrading of industrial processes with cleaner, more efficient technologies.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.4: “By 2030, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil…” The article’s focus on treating wastewater from the chemical industry and the “real-time detection and removal of heavy metals from industrial effluents” directly relates to the sound management of chemical waste and the reduction of its release into water.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 6.3:

  • Implied Indicator: The proportion of industrial wastewater safely treated. The entire market’s existence and projected growth (CAGR of 6.4%) imply an increase in the volume and proportion of industrial wastewater being treated before discharge.
  • Implied Indicator (related to 6.3.2): The quality of treated industrial effluent. The mention of technologies for the “removal of heavy metals” suggests that progress can be measured by the reduction of specific pollutants in discharged water.

• For Target 9.4:

  • Implied Indicator: The rate of adoption of advanced and environmentally sound technologies in industries. The article cites specific examples like “advanced membrane filtration system” and “AI-powered monitoring solutions,” whose market penetration and use would serve as a direct measure of progress.

• For Target 12.4:

  • Implied Indicator: The amount of hazardous waste (e.g., heavy metals, harmful chemicals) treated or removed from industrial wastewater. The development of solutions for “real-time detection and removal of heavy metals” provides a direct way to quantify the reduction of hazardous materials released into the environment.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: openpr.com