Sector: Water Filtration

Market Overview: Compared to other developed nations, public water utilities in the United States deliver the cleanest water.  However, the Environmental Protection Agency recently revealed that more than 5,300 water systems in America are in violation of the EPA’s lead and copper rule indicating that more still needs to be done to improve the nation’s water supply, especially for those who are served by aging infrastructure.

These growing concerns about water quality, both domestically and globally, have led to an increased demand for water filtration systems around the world.  Additionally, more awareness about the negative impacts of bottled water is slowing sales in that market while boosting it for water purifiers. According to the 2015 Research and Markets report United States Water Purifier Market Forecast & Opportunities Report 2015-2020, the water purifier market in the United States is expected to see a moderate compound annual growth rate of around 6 percent. 

Despite the global nature of water filtration manufacturing, the database captures numerous  water filtration companies from the United States and Canada.  It covers eight types of water technologies and systems including pitcher filtration, faucet mounted/countertop filtration, under sink/in-line filtration, reverse osmosis, whole house filtration, distillation, ultraviolet and commercial units. 

In recent years, the Midwest has seen the highest demand for water purifiers in the United States followed by the Western states with faucet mounted, carbon based filters witnessing the largest growth. Consumers also have a preference for under sink purifiers, but growing water quality concerns have created an increase in the use of reverse osmosis systems, which can eliminate more chemicals and other impurities.

In terms of manufacturing footprint, the United States seems to be more prevalent in the custom manufacturing of whole house filtration systems and commercial assemblies and less involved in creation of smaller systems and filters. The reason may be that like the HVAC and appliance markets, it is more cost effective to build larger systems domestically. 

Globally, the water purifier industry is fragmented with regional companies manufacturing products that are consumed close to the production site. The market growth of water purifiers in these regions is supported by growing domestic production, a lack of imports and an increased awareness about water related health concerns.