As per the report published by The Brainy Insights, the global water desalination market is expected to grow from USD 13.50 billion in 2021 to USD 28.83 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period 2022-2030.
The growing world population is accompanied by rising demand for potable water. The natural freshwater resources on earth which are accessible and fit for consumption are around 0.5% of the earth’s hydrosphere. Overexploitation of water for irrigation, manufacturing, and other household consumption has led to the depletion of the earth's freshwater resources. The supply of water is in deficit. The demand for potable water is anticipated to rise at an annual rate of 1%. The growing demand for water and falling supply of natural water resources will drive the demand for water desalination. Water desalination is the only inexpensive and most efficient method presently available to meet the rising water demand.
Seawater and brackish water are used in the water desalination process. Their use reduces the burden on freshwater resources and provides ample time to replenish itself. Climate changes have led to uncertain weather changes, making rainwater dependency a vulnerable prospect. There have been rising instances of droughts around the world; the desalination of seawater can meet the demand for water in these arid regions. Seawater has a high concentration of salts, which is unfit for human consumption, the constant process of desalination of seawater results in scaling. Scaling is the deposition of minerals and salts on the membranes of the water desalination equipment. This deposition reduces the lifespan of the membrane. Reduced lifespan leads to the use of more membranes which increases operation costs. Preventive measures such as disinfectants, anti-scaling, or pre-treatments can be used. However, these measures are also expensive in nature, hampering the market's growth. Hybrid water desalination techniques are being developed to reduce production and maintenance costs. Hybrid technologies are highly efficient as well as cost-effective. Hybrid technologies could facilitate market expansion and provide lucrative opportunities for the water desalination market. The resultant by-product of water desalination is brine. Brine is water with a high concentration of salts. When brine is released into the oceans, it damages the marine ecosystem. When it is released inland, it harms flora and fauna of the region. The salinity of the inland soil also rises, which is harmful to biodiversity. The listed environmental concerns are likely to challenge the water desalination market.
The growing global population, rapid urbanization, rising industrialization, depletion of freshwater resources, rising water scarcity & water pollution will drive the growth of the water desalination market. The increase in government spending on wastewater management, water conservation & growing infrastructural expenditure is also expected to contribute to the market's growth.