Water Desalination Equipment Market Share, Trends & Growth By 2033

(MENAFN- Straits Research) Introduction

Water desalination equipment eliminates salts and impurities from seawater, brackish water, and wastewater, ensuring potable water production. This technology is vital in regions struggling with freshwater scarcity, providing a sustainable solution for drinking water, industrial use, and agricultural irrigation. As global water demand rises, desalination has become essential for water security, particularly in arid and coastal areas. Innovations in desalination methods, such as reverse osmosis (RO), multi-stage flash (MSF) distillation, and electrodialysis, enhance efficiency while cutting operational costs.

The global market for water desalination equipment is expanding due to growing demand for clean water, fueled by population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Climate change-driven droughts and diminishing freshwater reserves are prompting governments and private entities to increase investments in desalination technology. For example, Saudi Arabia's NEOM project is constructing one of the world's largest renewable energy-powered desalination plants to ensure sustainable water supply. Meanwhile, advancements like forward osmosis (FO) and enhanced RO technology are boosting efficiency and lowering costs, creating new market opportunities.

Market Dynamics Rising water scarcity and demand for potable water drive market growth

The depletion of global freshwater sources intensifies the need for desalination, particularly in water-stressed regions and coastal urban areas. Climate change, population surges, and industrial growth exert immense pressure on existing resources, necessitating alternative solutions.

• The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024 states that over 2.3 billion people experience water stress, with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region being the worst affected. Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Interior reported in 2024 that water levels in the Colorado River are at a century low, prompting desalination investments in California and Arizona. The U.S. government has allocated $1.5 billion for desalination projects across multiple states.

As governments recognize the urgency of water scarcity, large-scale desalination initiatives are increasing, driving demand. Additionally, policy incentives and public-private partnerships (PPPs) are encouraging more significant investment in desalination infrastructure.

Innovations in membrane technology and smart desalination plants

Breakthroughs in membrane technology, including graphene-based and nanotechnology-enabled membranes, significantly enhance desalination efficiency while reducing energy consumption. These advancements allow lower operating pressures, cutting energy use while maintaining high water recovery rates.

• In March 2025, MIT researchers developed a graphene oxide desalination membrane capable of filtering water 40% faster than conventional RO membranes, improving performance while decreasing energy expenses.

Smart desalination plants leverage AI and IoT, optimize energy use, predict maintenance requirements, and enhance water recovery through real-time data analytics and machine learning. This minimizes human errors and maximizes operational efficiency, making desalination increasingly viable for large-scale deployment. Governments worldwide are financing extensive projects to improve water security.

• Saudi Arabia's Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) is constructing the world's largest hybrid desalination plant in Al Jubail, integrating reverse osmosis (RO) with multi-effect distillation (MED) to boost efficiency.

With the rising adoption of smart and energy-efficient solutions, the desalination equipment market is set for a robust expansion.

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific is the leading region in the global water desalination equipment market, driven by growing water scarcity, rapid urbanization, and proactive government initiatives. The region's dense population and industrialization have heightened the demand for fresh water, making desalination a crucial resource. Countries such as China, India, and Australia are significantly investing in desalination technology to combat persistent water shortages.

China continues to expand its desalination infrastructure, with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) allocating $3 billion for desalination projects between 2024 and 2030. Similarly, India's Jal Jeevan Mission supports desalination projects in coastal cities like Chennai and Mumbai to enhance urban water supply.

With continuous technological progress and strong governmental backing, Asia-Pacific is expected to sustain its dominance in the global desalination market.

Key Highlights

• The global water desalination equipment market was valued at USD 17.25 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to USD 18.32 billion in 2025 to reach USD 30.41 billion in 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period (2025–2033).
• Based on the source, the global market is segmented into seawater, brackish water, river water, and others. Seawater desalination is the predominant segment due to the vast availability of seawater and the increasing scarcity of freshwater resources.
• Based on technology, the global market is segmented into reverseosmosis (RO), multi-stage flash (MSF) distillation, multi-effect distillation (MED), and others. Reverse osmosis dominates the desalination technology landscape due to its versatility, efficiency, and declining installation costs.
• Based on application, the global market is segmented into municipal, industrial, and others. The municipal segment represents the most prominent application area for desalination equipment, driven by the escalating global population and urbanization.
• Based on region, the global water desalination equipment market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America dominates the global market.

Competitive Players

Veolia Water Technologies

Suez

IDE Technologies

Acciona Agua

Xylem Inc.

DuPont Water Solutions

General Electric

Doosan Heavy Industries

Toray Industries

Hitachi Zosen Corporation

H2O Innovation Inc.

Koch Membrane Systems

Recent Developments

• In March 2025, TETRA Technologies launched the Oasis Total Desalination Solution (TDS) for the Permian Basin, enhancing the reuse of produced water from oil and gas operations. Following a successful pilot in the Delaware Basin, TETRA initiated a new project with EOG Resources to process produced water, achieving a 92% recovery rate of desalinated water with total dissolved solids levels between 40 to 200 ppm, surpassing municipal drinking water standards.
• In September 2024, Suez, Siemens, and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a desalination initiative to assist emerging market countries. This partnership addresses the increasing global pressure on drinking water supplies due to climate change and droughts, highlighting the vital role of desalination technologies in ensuring water security.

Segmentation

By Source

Seawater

Brackish Water

River Water

Others

By Technology

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) Distillation

Multi-Effect Distillation (MED)

Others

By Application

Municipal

Industrial

Others

By Region

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

The Middle East and Africa

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