While legislative forces are driving the growth of disinfection systems in the municipal sector, the need for high purity water is creating demand in the industrial sector, particularly in industries such as food and beverages and pharmaceuticals. Opportunities in the industrial sector will also increase as the trend for industrial plants to set-up onsite water treatment plants instead of using public utilities for process water needs, becomes more prevalent.
Although the market offers significant growth opportunities, participants are realising that they could gain a major advantage by providing additional services along with the disinfection systems. This includes services such as monitoring the systems, providing engineering expertise and personnel training, and linking disinfection with other projects of the particular end user.
"The leading disinfection equipment suppliers who have the means to incorporate other water treatment services in their portfolio could benefit from doing this," adds Mr. Richard. "Companies could also strategically position themselves by customising products to better meet the needs of their clients."
Overall, the market is seeing a distinct shift away from conventional chlorination methods and toward technologies such as UV, ozonation, advanced chlorine dioxide-based disinfection, electrolytic chlorination and even membranes. Current use of conventional chlorination methods such as chlorine gas and liquid chlorine is high, but their revenues could be affected due to the increasing concerns on the harmful effects due to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in these methods.
In contrast, the formation of DBPs in conventional chlorine disinfection is likely to drive demand for UV, ozonation, and chlorine dioxide-based disinfection in the municipal drinking water segment. UV systems, in particular, are entering a period of high growth and offering strong competition to the chlorine-based compounds market. The use of chlorine dioxide-based disinfection and electrolytic chlorination is also expected to increase as these methods require less chlorine, which results in the formation of relatively lower amounts of chlorination by-products in the water.
The overall European water and wastewater disinfection systems market is definitely in its growth stage, with growth rates and patterns varying from region to region. The Central and Eastern European and Iberian markets are gearing up for high growth in the municipal drinking water segment while the large industrial areas of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are expected to offer significant opportunities for advanced disinfection technologies.
