Wastewater Treatment Service Market Size (2024 – 2030)

The wastewater treatment service market was valued at USD 59.327 billion and is projected to reach a market size of USD 92.19 billion by the end of 2030. Over the forecast period of 2024–2030, the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5%.

Replacing wastewater into an effluent by eliminating pollutants and impurities is known as wastewater treatment. Chemical treatment, evaporation, filtration, settling operations, and other procedures are part of the treatment process. End-use industries like pulp and paper, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas produce industrial effluent. The leading suppliers of wastewater treatment services are Xylem Inc. (US), Suez SA (France), Veolia Group (France), and Ecolab Inc. (US). To expand their geographic reach, attract new projects, fortify their product and service offerings, and reach undiscovered markets, these players primarily concentrate on expanding and launching new products.

To meet the increasing need for clean water resources—not just for municipal and agricultural uses but also for vital industrial processes—water and wastewater treatment are required. More than 40% of the world's population currently lives in areas designated as experiencing severe water stress. Since freshwater makes up only 1% of all accessible water on Earth, countries that suffer from extreme water poverty are forced to cleanse their seawater by using the desalination process. For example, Saudi Arabia unveiled over sixty water treatment projects at the third MENA Desalination Projects Forum in March 2022. By the end of 2027, these projects should have tripled the nation's desalination capacity.

Key market participants have been forced to enhance their networks of water and wastewater treatment services due to growing competition. International businesses are acquiring local competitors to obtain a significant competitive advantage.  The acquisition was made to increase the range of analytical tools and take advantage of both current and future microbiological monitoring market prospects.

Key Market Insights:

One of the main factors anticipated to propel the expansion of the worldwide sewage treatment services market is the stringent government restrictions regarding the discharge of polluted water into the environment. The growing global industry is also being aided by an increased understanding of the various wastewater treatment options. Additionally, a major factor driving the expansion of the global market is the rise in research and development efforts about innovative wastewater treatment technologies and the modernization of aging infrastructure. Future expansion of the global market is anticipated to be fueled by the expanding manufacturing sectors as well as the growing need in emerging and developed nations to treat wastewater before releasing it into the environment. Moreover, increasing urbanization and population growth, especially in developing nations like China and India, are the primary drivers of substantial prospects for the expansion of the global market. However, the primary reason that may be impeding the expansion of the worldwide market for wastewater treatment services is the high cost of wastewater treatment.

Wastewater Treatment Service Market Drivers:

The market for wastewater treatment services has expanded as a result of initiatives for Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)

ZLD is a wastewater treatment technique that uses the least amount of water while getting rid of liquid waste. The market for ZLD systems was valued at USD 200 million in 2018 and is expected to continue expanding due to the enforcement of stricter environmental rules. Technologies are being used by nations like Australia, China, and India to optimize wastewater treatment via complete recovery. Ever since its launch, ZLD has garnered global attention once more. For instance, the Dallman Power Plant in Illinois has implemented this technology to prevent boron from the wastewater effluent from being harmful to the environment. ZLD deployment increases water supply and decreases water pollution; however, its high cost and high energy consumption limit the technology. Nevertheless, some businesses might choose ZLD despite the limitations. From a technical standpoint, ZLD in this particular situation can only be described in theory. Technically and commercially, it is not feasible to have no liquid effluent outflow.

The market for wastewater treatment services has expanded as a result of strict regulations on the effluent treatment of wastewater.

In recent times, there has been a significant increase in the amount of wastewater generated due to advancements in manufacturing methods. The environment is endangered by the effluents of businesses that process chemicals, insecticides, rare metals, and other dangerous substances. Freshwater sources could be severely harmed by the improper handling of these effluents. Therefore, before being released into the environment, organizations like the FAO and the US EPA have established regulatory limitations on the amount of these compounds that can be found in effluents. The implementation of stringent restrictions has compelled enterprises to construct and maintain water and wastewater treatment plants on schedule. As a result, these elements are anticipated to steer the industry in the upcoming years.

Global Wastewater Treatment Service Market Restraints and Challenges:

In general, lower flow rates result in reduced capital costs for water treatment facilities. Most systems adhere to this principle; however, there might be a noticeable deviation based on the operation's scale. The cost differences between large and small microfiltration (MF) machines are typically scaled based on flow after accounting for the base costs of engineering, control panels, and cleaning systems. High-capacity ion exchange (IX) systems may be slightly more expensive. Imagine a situation where there is a 50% increase in flow and a 20% increase in cost.

An illustration of a food-based wastewater treatment facility that handles effluent from the production of dairy products, milk, and beverages. The technology used in food and beverage manufacturing facilities usually focuses on eliminating biological impurities (using devices like membrane bioreactors, or MBRS) and oil and grease (using dissolved air flotation, or DAF). The system might cost as little as USD 500,000 to as much as USD 1 million at 100 GPM, depending on the discharge limitations and BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) levels.

Global Wastewater Treatment Service Market Opportunities:

Older wastewater treatment facilities require more upkeep and can be dangerous because they could experience a breakdown at any time. Service companies may be contracted to maintain industrial wastewater plants or municipalities. Wastewater treatment service providers are finding more and more opportunities in the construction and infrastructure, maintenance and repair, and design and consulting services sectors. Aging infrastructure and outdated technologies need to be upgraded from time to time. The market is anticipated to increase significantly in the future due to the increasing demand for green technology and infrastructure upgrades.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT SERVICE MARKET REPORT COVERAGE:

Global Wastewater Treatment Service Market Segmentation: By Type

• Designing and Engineering Consulting

• Building and Installation Services

• Operation and Process Control

• Maintenance and Repair

• Others

Operation and process control are both the largest and fastest-growing markets. The operations and activities of industries have a major impact on the quantity of wastewater they produce. Improving these processes has a significant impact on the amount and quality of wastewater produced, which in turn is anticipated to have an impact on the type of treatment technique needed. Thus, operation and process control are crucial elements of the service type segment. The primary purposes of operations and process control services are wastewater treatment plant control and facility operation enhancement. These services are contracted out to specialized wastewater treatment providers by major municipal and industrial clients. Laboratory testing, facility troubleshooting, routine maintenance, parameter monitoring, statistical process control, and report preparation are just a few of the services offered. Appropriate monitoring guarantees the efficient operation of unit processes, including ion exchange, separation, flotation, settling, filtering, neutralization, absorption, adsorption, and chlorination.

Global Wastewater Treatment Service Market Segmentation: By End-user

• Municipal

• Industrial (chemical and pharmaceuticals, oil and gas)

The municipal segment holds the largest market share. The higher percentage can be attributed to the increasing number of municipal organizations using wastewater treatment services as a result of population growth and a rise in the amount of wastewater produced. People are exposed to avoidable health hazards and environmental pollution when home wastewater and sanitation services are absent, insufficient, or improperly managed. Millions of people are contaminated by contaminated drinking water as a result of improper handling of industrial and urban waste. As a result, governments in the emerging nations of the Asia-Pacific region are taking the appropriate steps to release household wastewater. The market for wastewater treatment services is being driven by the growing harm that wastewater is causing to human health and the environment. The industrial application sector is expected to grow at the fastest rate throughout the projected period. Businesses using fresh and processed water for a wide range of purposes can be found in this area. Strong demand for fresh and purified water is a result of growing industrialization, a rise in the number of production facilities, and technological improvements. Environmental deterioration has been brought on by rising industrial activity and rapid urbanization as a result of untreated or inadequately treated industrial wastewater effluents. Due to growing environmental awareness and stricter regulations controlling the release of industrial wastewater into rivers, this category is anticipated to show significant growth.

Global Wastewater Treatment Service Market Segmentation: By Region

• North America

• Asia-Pacific

• Europe

• South America

• Middle East and Africa

Asia-Pacific is the largest growing market. The wastewater treatment services market, which has historically been led by the Asia Pacific region, is expected to rise gradually over the projected period. This is largely because municipalities and the electricity-generating industry in the Asia-Pacific region are becoming more and more in need of wastewater treatment services. Due to tighter rules governing industrial wastewater, a shortage of water, and an increase in municipal waste, the market for wastewater treatment services in Asia and the Pacific has been expanding. Furthermore, China leads the world's wastewater treatment services market, followed by Japan and India.

Throughout the forecast period (2024–2030), North America is anticipated to be the fastest-growing market. This is primarily due to increased industrialization and public understanding of the many wastewater treatment options.

It is anticipated that the European market will contribute the second-highest proportion, with Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa following suit. The European market is expanding mostly because of the stringent regulations governing the disposal of industrial wastewater.

COVID-19 IMPACT:

Reduced Industrial Activity during Pandemic Hurt Market ExpansionThe COVID-19 pandemic slowed down investments in the water business, with very few exceptions. It did, however, also highlight how important operational stability is to offset interruption costs. Lockdowns and travel restrictions have resulted in a decrease in the demand for water and wastewater treatment utilities from major industrial and commercial customers, which has had a significant effect on the profit margins of the enterprises in the market. In addition, several nations declared emergency protocols to stop the virus from spreading, which had an impact on municipal water treatment authorities' earnings. For example, a Brazilian water operator announced a three-month pricing exemption for low-income homes and complied with the government's request to postpone water bills. Additionally, one of the biggest communities in its service region received donations of water tanks.

Latest Trends/ Developments:

In March 2023, Fluid Technology Solutions, Inc., a leading manufacturer of complex membranes and separation technologies, and Aquatech International teamed up to provide the upcoming generation of improved brine concentration, cutting-edge separation, and water reuse solutions.

In January 2023, Xylem Inc. and Evoqua came to a final agreement to buy Evoqua in an all-stock transaction with an estimated enterprise value of USD 7.5 billion. By using Evoqua's expertise in providing cutting-edge treatment systems and services and Xylem's global leadership in water solutions, the combined company will be well-positioned to develop and provide a wider range of innovative solutions.

In April 2022, Xylem announced investments in Burnt Island Ventures and The Wastly Group's Funds, two venture capital funds, to support the development of innovative water and industrial ideas. The open innovation network of Xylem Innovation Labs and its commitment to commercializing the most important developments swiftly and broadly in water technology were anticipated to be strengthened by these investments.

In January 2022, STERIS Group subsidiaries Mar Cor Purification and Cantel Medical's Renal Business were acquired by Evoqua Water Technologies LLC. The acquisition enhanced the company's standing to provide premium water solutions to the healthcare sector in North America.

Key players:

1. W.O.G. Group

2. Envirosystems Inc.

3. Golder Associates

4. Evoqua Water Technologies

5. Xylem

6. Veolia

7. SWA Water Holdings

8. Ecolab

9. SUEZ

10. Thermax