China’s Wastewater Treatment Market

Eurasia Development Group: the number of wastewater treatment plants in China has doubled over the past decade, while investment in water infrastructure has increased more than twofold.

The degradation of water resources and growing wastewater discharge pose serious environmental and economic challenges for China. Insufficient treatment can lead to deteriorating water quality and limit its use in industry and agriculture.

The study provides an overview of China’s existing wastewater treatment infrastructure and the dynamics of its construction and modernization, analyzes investment trends through 2023, and examines major industrial water treatment projects at key sites across China.

Key Findings

• The number of wastewater treatment plants in China has doubled over the past 10 years, providing a total daily treatment capacity of more than 150 million m³.
• Investment in the construction and modernization of wastewater treatment systems has increased more than twofold since 2016.
• Most facilities are concentrated in China’s eastern and northern provinces, where wastewater discharge has grown most rapidly.
• The largest projects use evaporation crystallization and water reuse technologies, achieving water recycling rates of up to 75% in industrial applications.

Market Drivers
Stricter environmental regulations, national programs for water resource protection and rural infrastructure development, as well as government subsidies, are driving the expansion and modernization of wastewater treatment facilities.

• What This Means for Russian PlayersImport of advanced technologies and equipment for mechanical and chemical wastewater treatment.
• Participation in EPC contracts for the construction and modernization of large-scale water treatment facilities.
• Establishment of joint ventures for the local production of modular wastewater treatment systems.

Expert Comment “China demonstrates unique experience in large-scale wastewater treatment, combining innovative technologies with government programs that can provide a foundation for Russian companies seeking to expand their presence in the water treatment sector,” says Andrey Prokhorovich, Founder of Eurasia Development Group.