Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Systems Market Size and Share
Market Overview
| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
|---|---|
| Market Size (2025) | USD 7.98 Billion |
| Market Size (2030) | USD 11.84 Billion |
| Growth Rate (2025 - 2030) | 8.21% CAGR |
| Fastest Growing Market | Asia Pacific |
| Largest Market | Asia Pacific |
| Market Concentration | Medium |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0. |
|
Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Systems Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The Zero Liquid Discharge Systems Market size is estimated at USD 7.98 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 11.84 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.21% during the forecast period (2025-2030). Growth stems from rising water-scarcity risks, tougher discharge rules, and clear cost advantages once water reuse offsets disposal fees. Power generators, semiconductor fabs, and petrochemical complexes are installing closed-loop recovery trains to secure low-risk water supplies. Decision-makers are prioritizing pretreatment upgrades that shrink evaporation loads and cut operating energy, while hybrid membrane-thermal trains deliver the best lifecycle economics. Consolidation is accelerating: diversified water majors are buying niche membrane innovators to deepen research and development pipelines and offer turnkey plants that meet performance guarantees.
Key Report Takeaways
- By technology, thermal-based systems led with 62% of the zero liquid discharge systems market share in 2024, whereas membrane-based designs are projected to post a 9.07% CAGR through 2030.
- By process phase, evaporation and crystallization captured 49% of the zero liquid discharge systems market size in 2024; pretreatment is forecast to expand at a 9.12% CAGR to 2030.
- By end-user, power generation held 37% revenue share of the zero liquid discharge systems market size in 2024 and is advancing at a 9.37% CAGR through 2030.
- By region, Asia-Pacific controlled 32% of the zero liquid discharge systems market in 2024, while also registering the fastest regional CAGR at 9.66% for the forecast period.
Global Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Systems Market Trends and Insights
Drivers Impact Analysis
| Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increasing Demand for Freshwater | +2.1% | Global; strongest in Asia-Pacific and Middle East | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Surging Brine-Treatment Demand from Semiconductor Fabs | +1.8% | Asia-Pacific, North America | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Upstream Produced-Water Reuse Targets in Middle-East | +1.4% | Middle East, spillover to North Africa | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| More Stringent Regulations for Wastewater Disposal | +1.7% | Global; early uptake in Europe and North America | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Growth in water-intensive industries like textiles, chemicals, and power is fueling ZLD demand. | +1.1% | Asia-Pacific, notably India and China | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Increasing Demand for Freshwater
Forty percent of announced low-emission hydrogen projects now sit in high-stress basins, creating long-run pull for closed-loop recovery[1]Source: Rochi Khemka & Rolfe Eberhard, “Scaling Water Reuse: A Tipping Point for Municipal and Industrial Use,” World Bank, worldbank.org. Corporations are embedding water security targets: Repsol will cap withdrawals by 2030 and cut a further 30% by 2035. Such commitments accelerate procurement decisions for the zero liquid discharge systems market, turning compliance tools into strategic assets.
Surging Brine-Treatment Demand from Semiconductor Fabs
Ultrapure-water fabs discharge high-TDS, metal-laden streams; advanced ZLD trains now reclaim copper and gallium, lowering net costs while meeting strict reuse mandates. Forward-osmosis pilot lines tailored for microelectronics were showcased at the European Desalination Society’s 2025 forum. The sector’s push into on-shore capacity gives the zero liquid discharge systems market a high-margin specialty niche.
Upstream Produced-Water Reuse Targets in Middle East
Saudi Aramco cut 2024 freshwater use by 7.7% after scaling ZLD to recycle fracturing distillate. Operators now view produced water as a mineral feedstock, boosting local payback for high-salinity crystallizers and raising regional demand for the zero liquid discharge systems market.
More Stringent Regulations for Wastewater Disposal
EPA Method Update Rule 22 (2025) adds PFAS and PCB congeners to effluent analytics, driving early adoption in U.S. coal and chemical plants[2]Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Clean Water Act Methods Update Rule 22,” federalregister.gov. Pakistan’s 2023-2027 strategy even extends zero discharge mandates to commercial sites, broadening the customer base.
Restraints Impact Analysis
| Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Capital and Energy Cost of Technology | -1.2% | Global; larger drag in developing economies | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| ZLD requires highly skilled labor to operate and maintain. | -0.7% | Worldwide; sharper pinch in emerging markets | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Lack of Awareness and Incentives | -0.4% | Emerging markets, with gradual spillover to developed regions | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
High Capital and Energy Cost of Technology
Thermal plants may consume 80-100 kWh/m³, lifting payback beyond five years in tariff-sensitive zones. Energy-lean membrane lines now approach 2-6 kWh/m³ and drop CO₂ by 90-95% when coupled to renewables. Such gains shrink the negative drag on the zero liquid discharge systems market, yet still limit uptake where financing costs are high.
ZLD Requires Highly Skilled Labor to Operate and Maintain
Multistage pretreatment, scaling control, and automation demand multidisciplinary know-how that is scarce in low-income states. Cloud-based control suites from Veolia cut on-site staffing by a third. Wider roll-out of standardized modules will gradually dilute this barrier.
Segment Analysis
By Technology: Membrane Systems Gaining Momentum
Thermal evaporators and crystallizers held 62% of the zero liquid discharge systems market in 2024, thanks to robust salt tolerance. They remain the default in power and chemical complexes that mandate total dissolved solids removal. At the same time, membrane platforms are advancing with a 9.07% CAGR, propelled by material breakthroughs that slash energy demand. Hybrid trains, utilizing forward osmosis pretreatment followed by low-pressure brine concentrators, significantly reduce electricity consumption while delivering distillate with a TDS content below industry standards.
Recent field pilots showcased 2-stage membrane distillation operating at 55 °C feed, a major drop from legacy 80+ °C steam-driven units. Nitto’s fouling-resistant RO sheets extended clean-in-place intervals to six months. These gains ensure the zero liquid discharge systems market size for membrane-based lines will continue to expand into heavy brine sectors once considered exclusive to thermal designs.
Note: Segment Share of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Process Phase: Pretreatment Innovation Drives Efficiency
Evaporation and crystallization captured 49% of the zero liquid discharge systems market share in 2024, underscoring their role in final solids recovery. Yet, pretreatment investments are rising fastest at a 9.12% CAGR because each upstream contaminant removed trims steam or electric duty downstream. Electrocoagulation-plus-UF arrays now strip >90% organics before concentrators. OARO pilots under the Maven Brine Mining program spotlight salt harvesting while cutting compressor horsepower.
The solids-handling stage, though still the smallest slice, is gaining traction as regulators tighten landfill leachate codes. Vendors are exploring pelletized salt for chlor-alkali feedstock, turning disposal into revenue and opening a new front for the zero liquid discharge systems market.
By End-User Industry: Power Sector Leads Dual Growth Metrics
Power generation commanded 37% of 2024 revenue and tops growth at 9.37% CAGR. U.S. coal plants retrofit forced-circulation crystallizers to comply with flue-gas-desulfurization rules, while Asian gas turbines deploy ZLD on cooling tower blowdown to lock in water permits processes.org. Renewable-heavy utility roadmaps, such as PacifiCorp’s 2025 IRP, call for energy storage to match water-quality standards, further tying grid planning to the zero liquid discharge systems market.
Oil and gas operators in arid zones recycle produced water for fracturing, while petrochemical complexes like KPI’s polypropylene hub in Atyrau demonstrate full-scale zero discharge operations. Pharmaceutical API residuals push finer polishing demands; Siegfried’s Swiss site now runs an on-premise plant to hit micro-pollutant targets. Together, these niches diversify the zero liquid discharge systems market while setting higher performance baselines.
Note: Segment Share of all individual segments available upon report purchase
Geography Analysis
Asia-Pacific owns a 32% share of the zero liquid discharge systems market and logs the fastest 9.66% CAGR. China enforces ZLD for coal-chemical parks, and India mandates it across viscose staple fiber zones, creating large bundled tenders that favor turnkey suppliers. Increasing industrial reuse quotas and state subsidies for energy-efficient modules keep regional order books full, turning the zone into the primary test bed for next-gen hybrid lines.
North America follows, driven by pending PFAS limits, chronic drought in the Colorado basin, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s emphasis on clean-tech reshoring. Semiconductor expansions in Arizona and Texas require onsite ZLD, while federal tax incentives spur investment in low-carbon desalination. Canadian R&D funding helped Saltworks scale an electrodialysis unit purpose-built for battery-grade brine[3]Source: National Research Council Canada, “2023-2024 Annual Report,” nrc.canada.ca .
Desalination-dependent economies in the Middle East and Africa are focusing on achieving complete brine valorization, underscoring the region's notable growth potential. NEOM’s ENOWA Water Innovation Center is piloting mineral recovery from reject streams, signaling policy alignment toward circular resource targets. In Europe, circular-economy rules and cap-and-trade pricing steer chemical clusters to full-recovery lines; the EU Industrial Emissions Directive revision adds momentum. South America is earlier on the curve, yet Brazil’s new effluent tax incentivizes pulp and paper mills to consider ZLD retrofits, adding depth to the global zero liquid discharge systems market.
Competitive Landscape
Top Companies in Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Systems Market
The zero liquid discharge systems market is moderately fragmented, with key players like Veolia and Alfa Laval leveraging extensive portfolios to integrate pretreatment, heat optimization, and digital controls. Xylem’s 2024 acquisition of Evoqua has strengthened its expertise in high-brine evaporators, enabling comprehensive solutions for food, power, and pharmaceutical industries. Emerging players are driving cost efficiency through innovation. Saltworks has improved energy performance with its electrodialysis-reverse-osmosis stack, widely adopted in lithium brine projects, while H₂O GmbH’s modular crystallizer, delivered in ISO containers, minimizes on-site installation efforts. These advancements are pushing established firms to enhance R&D or collaborate with specialists. Key trends include energy integration, digital twins, and resource recovery. Veolia aims to achieve USD 1 billion annual revenue from PFAS, brine, and new-pollutant treatment by 2030. Alfa Laval is testing waste-heat-driven concentrators in Scandinavian pulp plants, while Arcadis combines engineering services with build-own-operate financing to reduce client capital expenditure. Competitive success now depends on aligning energy efficiency with circular-economy strategies.
Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Systems Industry Leaders
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Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies
-
Aquatech
-
ALFA LAVAL
-
Xylem
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GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Recent Industry Developments
- April 2025: Grasim Industries and Veolia commissioned a viscose staple fiber ZLD complex in Nagda, India, achieving 98% water recovery and lowering unit costs by double-digit percentages.
- April 2024: Thermax opened a dedicated water and wastewater equipment plant in Pune, expanding its ZLD manufacturing footprint.
Research Methodology Framework and Report Scope
Market Definitions and Key Coverage
Our study defines the zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) systems market as the revenue generated from complete, factory-built or field-assembled installations whose integrated pretreatment, concentration, and crystallization steps yield a solid residue and recyclable water stream that meets prevailing discharge norms. Associated engineering, commissioning, and aftermarket services tied directly to a specific ZLD unit fall inside the scope.
Scope exclusion: modular skid packages sold only for reverse-osmosis brine concentration without a crystallizer are left out.
Segmentation Overview
- By Technology
- Thermal-based
- Membrane-based
- By Process Phase
- Pretreatment
- Brine Concentration
- Evaporation and Crystallization
- Solids Handling and Disposal
- By End-User Industry
- Power Generation
- Oil and Gas
- Chemicals and Petrochemicals
- Metallurgy and Mining
- Pharmaceuticals
- Other End-user Industries
- By Geography
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- South Korea
- ASEAN
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Europe
- Germany
- France
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Rest of Europe
- South America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Rest of South America
- Middle East and Africa
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Rest of Middle East and Africa
- Asia-Pacific
Detailed Research Methodology and Data Validation
Primary Research
Analysts spoke with plant engineers in power, chemicals, and textiles; EPC contractors that integrate ZLD trains; and regional regulators across North America, India, China, and the GCC. These dialogues verified typical capacity brackets, energy consumption benchmarks, and upcoming policy triggers, while also stress-testing pricing curves derived from desk work.
Desk Research
We first gathered foundational figures on industrial water withdrawal, power capacity additions, and effluent norms from tier-1 public sources such as the US EPA, India's Central Pollution Control Board, Eurostat Water Statistics, and UN Water. Trade association white papers from the International Desalination Association, American Chemistry Council, and World Steel Association supplied technology penetration and plant-level water intensity ratios. Company filings, investor decks, and reputable business media captured order backlogs and average selling prices. Subscription platforms, notably Dow Jones Factiva for deal flows and D&B Hoovers for vendor financials, enriched firm-side data. The sources cited above are illustrative; many additional references were consulted during validation.
Market-Sizing & Forecasting
A top-down construct starts with industrial wastewater volumes by sector and region, applies mandated or voluntary ZLD penetration rates, and multiplies by weighted capital cost per cubic meter per day capacity. Select bottom-up checks, supplier order books, channel interviews, and sampled ASP × volume for large projects refine totals. Key variables modeled include new coal and gas power capacity (GW), high-TDS chemical output (million tons), regional water-scarcity indices, average capital cost per m³/day, and grid electricity price trends influencing thermal versus membrane mix. Multivariate regression links these drivers to historical install revenue and projects through 2030; scenario analysis tests policy acceleration and energy price shocks. Gaps in bottom-up data, especially for privately financed plants, are bridged using regional analogs endorsed by interviewed experts.
Data Validation & Update Cycle
Outputs pass variance checks against independent water reuse ratios and vendor shipment logs. Senior analysts review anomalies, re-engage sources if deviations exceed preset bands, and approve only convergent ranges. Reports refresh each year, with interim updates triggered by large regulatory moves or megaproject awards.
Why Our Zero Liquid Discharge Systems Baseline Earns Stakeholder Trust
Published estimates often diverge because firms slice the wastewater universe differently, choose unique price decks, or refresh at uneven intervals.
Key gap drivers in this field include whether pharmaceutical and mining users are counted, how hybrid-system learning curves temper capital costs, and the cadence at which currency conversions and inflation resets are applied. Mordor's disciplined scope, variable selection, and annual refresh cadence minimize these skews, giving decision-makers a stable anchor.
Benchmark comparison
| Market Size | Anonymized source | Primary gap driver |
|---|---|---|
| USD 7.98 B (2025) | Mordor Intelligence | |
| USD 7.80 B (2024) | Global Consultancy A | Excludes pharma and mining segments; regional split limited to three super-regions; update cycle every three years |
| USD 7.06 B (2025) | Industry Journal B | Uses install count × average cost only for thermal systems; keeps currency at 2020 rates |
| USD 9.03 B (2025) | Regional Consultancy C | Adds ancillary O&M services; assumes fast hybrid uptake without policy cross-check; single-scenario CAGR |
The comparison shows that when scope is either narrower or inflated with peripheral revenue, totals swing markedly. By anchoring calculations to clearly documented wastewater volumes, verified penetration ratios, and live price points, Mordor Intelligence delivers a balanced, transparent baseline clients can reproduce and defend.
Key Questions Answered in the Report
What is driving the recent acceleration in zero liquid discharge systems market adoption?
Intensifying water scarcity, stricter discharge regulations, and proven cost savings from internal water reuse are convincing facility owners that zero liquid discharge delivers long-term resilience even when upfront costs are high.
How large is the zero liquid discharge systems market size for power generation today?
Power plants accounted for 37% of the zero liquid discharge systems market size in 2024 and the segment continues to expand at a 9.37% CAGR as operators retrofit blow-down and flue-gas-desulfurization streams.
Which region commands the largest zero liquid discharge systems market share?
Asia-Pacific leads with 32% zero liquid discharge systems market share, helped by mandatory adoption across Chinese coal-chemicals and India’s textile corridors.
Why are membrane-based trains gaining ground over thermal evaporators?
Membrane lines consume as little as 2-6 kWh per m³ versus 80-100 kWh per m³ for conventional evaporators, cutting energy bills by up to 50% while maintaining high distillate quality.
How are companies lowering the skill barrier for operating ZLD plants?
Suppliers now ship modular skids with built-in digital twins, remote diagnostics, and automated cleaning, reducing on-site staffing requirements by roughly one-third.
What payback period can industrial users expect from a modern hybrid ZLD installation?
Current projects typically achieve payback in 3–5 years when water-purchase and wastewater-disposal savings are combined with revenue from recovered salts and metals.
What is the current value of the zero liquid discharge systems market?
The zero liquid discharge systems market size is expected to reach USD 7.98 billion by 2025 and is forecasted to reach USD 11.84 billion, registering a 8.21% CAGR.
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