Water Recycling and Reuse Markets to Nearly Double on 13.1% CAGR

August 17, 2017

Wellesley, Mass., Aug 17, 2017 -- Issues of water supply, water scarcity, water supply cost, and regulatory requirements and considerations are among the factors driving big growth in the water recycling and reuse global markets, which should nearly double from almost $12.2 billion in 2016 to about $22.3 billion in 2021, with a 13.1% CAGR, reports Global Markets and Technologies for Water Recycling and Reuse.

The July BCC Research analysis quantifies and updates markets for wastewater recycling technologies based on available data and anticipated trends in global and regional market developments in industrial and municipal systems. There are several possible end uses for recycled water, including agriculture, discharge to surface or groundwater for environmental or downstream uses, municipal and industrial non-potable reuse, and potable reuse. Recycled water end use is shifting strongly from lower to higher-value end uses, the report notes.

One key development is the differentiation made between potable and non-potable water. Treated wastewater discharged into rivers is mixed with natural waters, then withdrawn miles downstream, treated, and used for municipal supply. In contrast, direct potable reuse, where wastewater is treated at a wastewater treatment facility and then directly injected into a water supply system, has been sensationalized thanks to its “yuck factor.” However, recent droughts are pushing consumers past this label, especially in water-scarce and population-dense regions like California, where multiple direct potable reuse projects are currently being considered for deployment.

Research Highlights

• By 2030, the European Commission estimates a global unfulfilled water demand of 3,000 cubic kilometers—about double current global wastewater production levels.
• The industry is turning toward unconventional uses of water for recycling, like indirect potable reuse, as well as direct potable reuse.
• Global potable and environmental end uses for recycled wastewater will more than double from $3.3 billion in 2016 to nearly $7.7 billion in 2021.

"Market growth has progressed meaningfully over the last several years, albeit slower than previously expected, due to slower than anticipated long-term rebound after the global economic turndown," says BCC Research analyst Robert Eckhard, who wrote the report. "Buoyed by growth in underlying wastewater treatment markets, wastewater recycling and reuse is finding increased favor with regulators, as local and national governments work to implement more recycling-friendly policies."

Editors and reporters who wish to speak with the analyst should contact Steven Cumming at steven.cumming@bccresearch.com.

Global Markets and Technologies for Water Recycling and Reuse( MST051C )
Publish Date: Jul 2017    

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