A new study indicates that water shortages will spur a jump in the use of wastewater treatment and recycling technologies.

The study, conducted by Global Industry Analysts (GIA), sheds light on the challenges facing municipalities in many regions of the world. Steadily declining water supplies are already beginning to affect communities in California and Arizona, among other states in the U.S., and officials are struggling to keep pace with rising populations and a jump in wastewater and sewage levels.

GIA's report determined that in an effort to bolster wastewater treatment programs, the U.S. and other countries throughout the globe are increasingly eyeing the use of advanced technologies that will help conserve dwindling resources. An increased focus on recycling and conservation will help spur research and development initiatives within the wastewater treatment sector, the study also concluded.

Moreover, increasingly stringent government policies are similarly prompting wastewater treatment plant operators to scrutinize existing technologies. The study found that in the U.S., for example, laws enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state government are leading to a reorganization of recycling efforts, including the use of alum in water treatment.

According to the organization's researchers, new rules limiting concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen, among other nutrients, are spurring demand for specialty chemicals such as alum. As municipalities work to comply with such water quality rules, they are progressively employing nutrient removal chemicals and other treatments as a means of both treating and preserving water supplies.

"In this regard, specialized chemicals are forecast to witness the maximum growth," the report states. "Specialty chemicals have superior performance and lower toxicity levels and environmental impact. Demand for water reuse and ultrapure water for industrial applications will emerge into a key factor driving demand for specialty industrial water treatment chemicals. Water reuse, especially presents challenges in producing water with acceptable quality, thus providing a business case for high-performance specialty chemicals capable of addressing these challenges."

The new study, "Drinking and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals: A Global Strategic Business Report," also identified a number of areas in which the industry could potentially grow over the next few decades. As nations continue to pass water conservation and clean water initiatives, they are continuing to focus their attention on the reuse and recycling of wastewater.


 

Posted on May 4th, 2012 under Wastewater News, Water Regulations