Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market 2024-2030: Top – openPR.com

Global Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market: A Report on Sustainable Development Goal Alignment

Market Overview and Projections

The global Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market was valued at US$ 68.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach US$ 90.0 billion by 2030, reflecting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.9% from 2025 to 2030. This growth is intrinsically linked to the global pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The market’s expansion is driven by the urgent need to improve water quality, increase water-use efficiency, and ensure sustainable water management for growing urban populations and industrial sectors.

Market Drivers and Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

The primary drivers for the market are directly aligned with several key SDGs, demonstrating the industry’s critical role in achieving global sustainability targets.

• Stringent Environmental Regulations and Industrial Discharge: Tightening regulations on wastewater discharge compel industries to adopt advanced treatment technologies. This directly supports SDG 6.3 (improve water quality by reducing pollution) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting environmentally sound management of industrial waste.
• Rapid Urbanization and Population Growth: The expansion of urban centers necessitates significant investment in municipal water infrastructure. This addresses SDG 6.1 (universal access to safe drinking water), SDG 6.2 (access to adequate sanitation), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Industrial Expansion: Growth in manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, and food & beverage sectors increases demand for high-capacity treatment equipment, contributing to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by enabling sustainable industrialization.
• Water Scarcity and Reuse Initiatives: The increasing adoption of water recycling and zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) systems is crucial for mitigating water scarcity. This directly advances SDG 6.4, which aims to substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors.

Technological Advancements for Enhanced Sustainability

Technological innovation is fundamental to improving treatment efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of water management, thereby accelerating progress toward the SDGs.

• Membrane Separation Technologies: Systems like reverse osmosis (RO) and ultrafiltration are critical for high-purity water production and reuse applications, supporting SDG 6.3 and SDG 6.4.
• Biological Treatment Systems: Advanced systems, including membrane bioreactors (MBRs), offer higher purification efficiency and lower operational costs, contributing to sustainable municipal and industrial wastewater management under SDG 6 and SDG 11.
• Smart and Energy-Efficient Solutions: The integration of IoT-enabled monitoring and energy-efficient components (pumps, motors) enhances system reliability and reduces energy consumption, aligning with SDG 9 and SDG 12.

Regional Analysis and SDG Implementation

Asia-Pacific

Holding the largest market share (35%) at US$ 20.1 billion, the region’s growth is fueled by large-scale industrialization and government programs promoting wastewater recycling. These initiatives are central to achieving SDG 6 and SDG 11 in the world’s most populous region.

North America

With a market value of US$ 18.2 billion (32% share), growth is driven by the modernization of aging infrastructure and strict discharge regulations. This reflects a mature market focused on enhancing water quality and efficiency in line with SDG 6 and SDG 9.

Europe

Valued at US$ 16.5 billion (29% share), the European market emphasizes circular water management and industrial effluent treatment. This strong focus on water reuse and a circular economy model directly supports SDG 12 and SDG 6.

Latin America

The market (US$ 2.4 billion, 4% share) is expanding through increased municipal wastewater projects and improving industrial compliance, marking progress toward foundational SDG 6 targets.

Middle East & Africa

This region (US$ 1.3 billion, 2% share) is leveraging desalination-linked reuse initiatives and national sustainability objectives to deploy high-efficiency treatment systems, addressing severe water scarcity challenges in alignment with SDG 6.4.

Market Segmentation and Impact

By Application

• Industrial: This leading segment is crucial for meeting stringent discharge standards, supporting SDG 6.3 and enabling sustainable industrial practices under SDG 9 and SDG 12.
• Municipal: This segment is fundamental to public health and urban sustainability, directly addressing the core targets of SDG 6 (universal access to water and sanitation) and SDG 11.

By Product

• Membrane Separation: Dominates the market due to its high efficiency in removing contaminants, essential for water reuse and achieving the high-quality water standards of SDG 6.
• Biological Treatment: A core process for breaking down organic pollutants on a large scale, vital for municipal and industrial wastewater management.
• Disinfection Systems: Critical for pathogen removal to ensure water safety, directly contributing to public health goals within SDG 6.1.
• Sludge Dewatering: Supports efficient waste management by reducing the volume of wastewater solids, aligning with the principles of SDG 12.

Key Industry Developments in 2025

Recent activities highlight the industry’s focus on modernization, efficiency, and sustainability.

1. United States: Utilities accelerated investments in water reuse systems and upgraded membrane bioreactors (MBRs) to improve energy efficiency and comply with stricter federal standards.
2. Japan: Strong demand was driven by infrastructure modernization and stricter discharge norms, with companies innovating in advanced membrane systems and smart IoT-enabled monitoring equipment.
3. Germany: Manufacturers introduced next-generation ultrafiltration modules designed to enhance fouling resistance and lower maintenance costs, improving the sustainability of water treatment operations.
4. India: Industrial clusters invested in centralized effluent treatment plants (CETPs) featuring advanced sludge management and real-time monitoring to improve collective environmental performance.
5. UAE: High-capacity reverse osmosis (RO) units were deployed to support desalination-linked wastewater reuse programs, a critical strategy for water security in arid regions.

Competitive Landscape

The market is led by key players providing the technologies essential for achieving global water sustainability targets. Market shares are distributed as follows:

• 3M Purification, Inc.: 12.4%
• Xylem Inc.: 11.6%
• Kemira Oyj: 10.2%
• DowDuPont: 9.8%
• Evoqua Water Technologies LLC: 8.7%
• Suez SA: 8.1%
• Degremont Technologies: 7.3%
• Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation: 6.8%
• Veolia Environment SA: 6.2%
• Ecolab, Inc.: 5.9%

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

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

The article on the Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market directly addresses or connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus on treating water and wastewater, driven by urbanization, industrialization, and regulation, links to the following goals:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: This is the most central SDG, as the entire article revolves around the equipment and technologies used to treat water and wastewater, improve water quality, and enable water reuse.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article highlights the modernization of water infrastructure, technological advancements in treatment systems, and the role of industry in both creating wastewater and adopting solutions for its treatment.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The text explicitly links market growth to “increasing urbanization” and the need for “municipal water treatment infrastructure” to manage wastewater in growing urban areas.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The emphasis on water recycling, reuse, and “zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) systems” to reduce freshwater consumption directly relates to sustainable management of natural resources and reducing industrial pollution.

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

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution and increasing recycling.
   • Explanation: The article extensively discusses the market drivers, such as “tightening environmental regulations” and “stricter wastewater discharge norms,” which aim to reduce pollution. It also highlights the “growing adoption of water recycling” and “wastewater reuse programs” as key industry developments.
2. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure.
   • Explanation: The text points to the “modernization of aging municipal infrastructure” and large-scale investments in “wastewater treatment equipment and infrastructure” as significant market drivers, particularly in North America.
3. Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries for sustainability.
   • Explanation: The article details the “adoption of membrane filtration technologies,” “smart, energy-efficient solutions,” and “circular-economy treatment solutions.” These technological advancements represent the upgrading of industrial processes to be more environmentally sound and resource-efficient.
4. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities.
   • Explanation: The article states that “rising urbanization and population growth are accelerating the need for municipal water treatment infrastructure.” The expansion and modernization of municipal treatment plants, as described in the text, directly contribute to managing wastewater, a key environmental impact of cities.
5. Target 12.2: Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
   • Explanation: The article mentions the goal of “zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) systems to reduce freshwater consumption.” This directly addresses the efficient use of water, a critical natural resource, by promoting a circular economy approach.

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

Yes, the article contains several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Financial Investment and Market Growth: The article provides the global market value (US$ 68.1 billion in 2024) and its projected growth (to US$ 90.0 billion by 2030), including regional market sizes (e.g., “Asia-Pacific – US$ 20.1 billion”). This financial data serves as a proxy indicator for the level of investment in water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, which is crucial for achieving Targets 6.3 and 9.1.
• Adoption Rate of Advanced Technologies: The text highlights the “rapid adoption of membrane and UV disinfection technologies,” the expanded “use of biological treatment systems,” and investments in “membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems.” Tracking the adoption rates of these efficient technologies can measure progress towards Target 9.4 (upgrading industries with clean technologies).
• Prevalence of Water Reuse and Recycling Initiatives: The article repeatedly mentions “water reuse systems,” “desalination-linked wastewater reuse programs,” and “government-backed programs promoting wastewater recycling.” The number and scale of these programs are direct indicators of progress towards the recycling and reuse components of Target 6.3 and the resource efficiency goals of Target 12.2.
• Regulatory Stringency: The article identifies “more stringent water-quality regulations” and “stricter wastewater discharge norms” as key market drivers. The implementation and enforcement of such regulations are indicators of a country’s commitment to reducing water pollution, as outlined in Target 6.3.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

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