Water Treatment Membrane Market

Water Treatment Membrane Market Overview (2023 to 2033)

According to the recent industry analysis by Fact.MR, the global water treatment membrane market size has reached a size of US$ 8.16 billion in 2023 and is projected to expand rapidly at a CAGR of 8.7% to reach US$ 18.83 billion by the end of 2033.

Water treatment membranes work like the cell walls of a human body. Raw water sources such as groundwater, surface water, seawater, and rainwater are getting polluted day by day because of increased industrial activities and urbanization across the globe.

This has generated a high need for modern water treatment solutions through membrane technology. Its permeability allows water to get rid of unwanted constituents such as impurities, solid particles, etc., resulting in quality potable water.

Report Attributes	Details
Water Treatment Membrane Market Size (2022A)	US$ 7.6 Billion
Estimated Market Value (2023E)	US$ 8.16 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (2033F)	US$ 18.83 Billion
Global Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	8.7%
Canada Market Value (2023)	US$ 763.5 Million
U.S. Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	10.3%
Key Companies Profiled	DuPont Toray Industries Inc. Hydranautics Koch Separation and Solutions Suez Water Technologies and Solutions Pall Corporation Pentair Asahi Kasei Corporation LG Chem Ltd

Water Treatment Membrane Demand Analysis (2018 to 2023) vs. Market Projections (2033)

The water treatment membrane market has increased at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2018 to 2022.

Water treatment was earlier done through conventional methods where clay and silt were used to treat water. The unique property that membrane technology contains is that it is advanced enough to remove salt and ions from the water without the need for any toxic chemicals.

These membranes are of various types based on the varying degrees of permeability and pore size. They have varied applications such as industrial water treatment, residential water treatment, municipal water treatment, agriculture & irrigation, cosmetics & personal care, etc.

• Short Term (2023 to 2026): Rising population and scarcity of water is a major global concern, leading to increased water impurities resulting from increased industrial and other activities. Adoption of decentralized water treatment systems using membranes, especially in remote areas, is expected to grow in the short run as conventional methods are less suited to areas with less population. Incremental advancements in membrane materials and fouling resistance are being focussed on for improving the efficiency of water treatment systems.
• Medium Term (2026 to 2029): The concept of tailored membranes for specific applications is projected to expand globally across various industries, enabling greater customization in the medium term. Studies are being done and research is being conducted to prevent the separation of essential nutrients, metals, and other sources of energy substances from wastewater, which is forecasted to expand water treatment membrane technology applications, especially in the agriculture industry and for wastewater treatment membranes globally.
• Long Term (2029 to 2033): With rising environmental concerns and awareness, the industry is expected to focus on the development of more sustainable and energy-efficient membrane processes in the long run. Membrane-based water treatment solutions for space missions and deep-sea exploration are expected to diversify the application of membrane filtration technology over the coming years. Also, evolving stringent regulatory frameworks regarding sustainability are forecasted to contribute to the growing demand for membrane-based water treatment over the decade.

Based on these findings, the global water treatment membrane market is forecasted to expand at a CAGR of 8.7% during the period (2023 to 2033), as per Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider.

An overview of the water treatment membrane market share analysis based on sales channel and region. Under the sales channel segment, aftersales of filtration solutions dominate with a market share of 64% in 2023.

Why is Demand for Water Treatment Membrane Technology Surging?

"Ever-growing World Population Leading to Increased Water Scarcity”

Rapidly growing population, especially in countries such as the U.S. and India, is resulting in increased water demand, leading to water scarcity. Thus the need for water conservation, water recycling, and reuse of water is expected to rise in the long run, generating an opportunity for water treatment membrane manufacturers globally.

Growth of industries such as pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, power generation, personal care & cosmetics, and agriculture across the world is also resulting in a simultaneous increase in the demand for high-quality process water, driving the need for advanced water treatment membranes globally. The quality of this processed water used in such industries is regulated by respective authorities, generating the need for water treatment solutions to adhere to such regulatory requirements.

“Rising Health and Sanitation Concerns”

Waterborne diseases are caused by pathogens, microorganisms, and contaminants such as heavy metals, and organic pollutants that find their way into water sources. Water treatment membranes, especially those comprising advanced technologies such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration treat this water by removing unwanted particles and making it good enough for consumption.

There are growing health concerns across the world that have generated high demand for efficient and reliable water treatment technologies, providing an opportunity and driving the demand for water filtration systems. However, maintenance, installation, and infrastructure challenges need to be tackled for easy adoption of membrane filtration by end users.

What Do Market Players Need to Keep an Eye On?

“Membrane Fouling and Maintenance May Act as Growth Challenge”

Fouling refers to when contaminants accumulate on the membrane surface, reducing filtration efficiency. Thus, regular maintenance is required to avoid the creation of clogged pores on the membrane surface and enable smooth filtration. Generally, this maintenance cost is low as compared to the replacement cost but the membranes need to be replaced after 2 years of use on average, resulting in high capital and operational cost.

However, studies are ongoing to make the use of this membrane technology more feasible and less cost-intensive. Economies such as the U.S. and China are working towards allocating more funds towards water infrastructure development, to explore beneficial solutions.

Country-wise Insights

Why is Water Treatment Membrane Technology So Popular in the United States?

During the assessment period of 2023 to 2033, the U.S. water treatment membrane market is projected to expand rapidly at a CAGR of 10.3%.

The United States is one of the developed economies that has well-developed industrial sectors, including pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, chemicals, power generation, and other industries. These industries require high-quality water for their processes, thereby driving the demand for efficient water treatment membrane technology in the country.

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), one of the quality regulation agencies in the U.S., enforces strict water quality regulations across all industries. This compels them to adopt reliable and efficient water treatment solutions, acting as a contributing factor to the growing demand for water filtration systems in the country.

How is Canada Placed in the Market for Water Treatment Membranes?

The water treatment membrane market for Canada is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 763.5 million in 2023.

Canada is known for its vast freshwater resources, and the need to protect and maintain the quality of this abundant freshwater drives the demand for advanced water treatment solutions (including membrane technology). Canadians emphasize highly on environmental sustainability, which generates the need for effective water management.

Canada's mining, oil, and gas industries are impacting water purity with their day-to-day operations. These industries, though driving the economy, require effective water treatment strategies, generating an opportunity for wastewater treatment membrane technology providers to expand their customer base by providing membrane-based solutions in the country.

Category-wise Insights

Will Reverse Osmosis Membranes Lead Market Expansion Going Forward?

Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane technology dominates the market with around 57% market share, and the segment is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 8.5% through 2033.

RO membranes are capable of producing high-purity water by removing various contaminants, including dissolved salts, heavy metals, organic compounds, etc., making them suitable for potable water production as well as industrial processes.

Growing global concerns about freshwater scarcity make RO technology a top choice because of its ability to remove salts and produce freshwater from seawater, known as desalination. Its unique properties of being versatile, energy efficient, quality consistent, modular, and scalable (based on required capacity) make desalination membranes the most preferred technology for water treatment over other methods.

What Makes Aftersales Services So Important in the Water Treatment Space?

Due to the higher replacement cost of membranes and their growing demand, the aftersales service market accounts for 63% share and is forecasted to increase at a CAGR of 8.4% between 2023 and 2033.

Membrane surface pores need to be cleared at regular intervals to ensure and retain their operational efficiency. These pores get blocked with various contaminants and unwanted particles, which have to be filtrated to make the water ready for use. This makes the aftersales service segment for water treatment membranes key in the market.

Aftersales services include the service of replacement of membranes, which is usually needed to be done after 2 years of its use on average, and is a capital-intensive process.

Competition Analysis

Key water treatment membrane manufacturers are DuPont, Toray Industries Inc., Hydranautics, Koch Separation and Solutions, Suez Water Technologies and Solutions, Pall Corporation, Pentair, Asahi Kasei Corporation, and LG Chem Ltd.

In the water treatment membrane space, market players are following various strategies to strengthen their position and remain competitive, such as conducting continuous research and development for continuous product innovation, engaging in partnerships & collaborations, optimizing the supply chain, promoting sustainability, expanding the range of water treatment membrane-based products, regulatory compliance, etc.

• One of the key players in the water treatment membrane market, DuPont, has been focusing on sustainability and innovation as its strategy to address global water challenges while reducing its environmental impact and offering advanced solutions to its customers. It also emphasizes customer collaborations to meet their specific challenges and provide tailored solutions to their needs.

Fact.MR has provided detailed information about the price points of key manufacturers of water treatment membranes positioned across regions, sales growth, production capacity, and speculative technological expansion, in the recently published report

Segmentation of Water Treatment Membrane Industry Research

• By Technology :

  • Microfiltration Membranes
  • Ultrafiltration Membranes
  • Nanofiltration Membranes
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes

• By Sales Channel :

  • Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
  • Aftersales

• By End Use :

  • Industrial Water Treatment
  • Residential Water Treatment
  • Municipal Water Treatment
  • Other Applications

• By Region :

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • East Asia
  • South Asia & Oceania
  • Middle East & Africa