Market overview
The global desalination plant market is worth USD 10.1 bn in 2026 and is forecast to reach USD 18.0 bn by 2036, growing at a 6.0% CAGR. Saudi Arabia is the largest country market and Reverse osmosis is the largest by technology segment.
| Scope | Plants that remove salt from seawater and brackish water, counted by the contract value of reverse osmosis, thermal and hybrid plants commissioned in the year, including equipment and construction. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Services and Utilities |
| Value 2025 | USD 9.5 bn |
| Value 2026 | USD 10.1 bn |
| Value 2036 | USD 18.0 bn |
| CAGR 2026-2036 | 6.0% |
| Volume 2026 | 7,833 thousand cubic metres per day |
| Volume 2036 | 12,086 thousand cubic metres per day |
| Average price 2026 | USD 1,286 per cubic metres per day |
| Report price | Starts from USD 1,999 |
| Published | November 2026 |
Request a free sample of this report
Desalination Plant market size and forecast, 2026-2036
Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.
| Year | Market value |
|---|---|
| 2026 | USD 10.1 bn |
| 2027 | USD 10.7 bn |
| 2028 | USD 11.3 bn |
| 2029 | USD 12.0 bn |
| 2030 | USD 12.7 bn |
| 2031 | USD 13.5 bn |
| 2032 | USD 14.3 bn |
| 2033 | USD 15.1 bn |
| 2034 | USD 16.1 bn |
| 2035 | USD 17.0 bn |
| 2036 | USD 18.0 bn |
Desalination Plant market segmentation
By technology
Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.
| Segment | Share 2026 | Share 2036 | Value 2026 | CAGR 2026-36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reverse osmosis | 82.0% | 86.7% | USD 8.3 bn | 6.6% |
| Multi-stage flash | 6.0% | 3.6% | USD 604 mn | 0.6% |
| Multi-effect distillation | 8.0% | 6.1% | USD 806 mn | 3.1% |
| Other | 4.0% | 3.7% | USD 403 mn | 5.1% |
By water source
Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.
| Segment | Share 2026 | Share 2036 | Value 2026 | CAGR 2026-36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seawater | 72.0% | 74.1% | USD 7.3 bn | 6.3% |
| Brackish water | 20.0% | 18.7% | USD 2.0 bn | 5.3% |
| River and waste water | 8.0% | 7.1% | USD 806 mn | 4.8% |
By end use
| Segment | Share 2026 | Share 2036 | Value 2026 | CAGR 2026-36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal | 62.0% | 64.5% | USD 6.2 bn | 6.4% |
| Industrial | 26.0% | 24.6% | USD 2.6 bn | 5.4% |
| Power, irrigation and other | 12.0% | 10.8% | USD 1.2 bn | 4.9% |
By plant capacity
| Segment | Share 2026 | Share 2036 | Value 2026 | CAGR 2026-36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10,000 cubic metres a day | 22.0% | 18.0% | USD 2.2 bn | 3.9% |
| 10,000 to 100,000 cubic metres a day | 43.0% | 42.0% | USD 4.3 bn | 5.8% |
| Over 100,000 cubic metres a day | 35.0% | 40.0% | USD 3.5 bn | 7.4% |
By project delivery model
| Segment | Share 2026 | Share 2036 | Value 2026 | CAGR 2026-36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering, procurement and construction | 34.0% | 29.0% | USD 3.4 bn | 4.3% |
| Build-own-operate (independent water producers) | 47.0% | 53.0% | USD 4.7 bn | 7.3% |
| Build-operate-transfer | 19.0% | 18.0% | USD 1.9 bn | 5.4% |
Top 25 countries for desalination plant by revenue
Countries are ranked by revenue earned from sales in the country, not by where the product is made. The ten largest hold 80.0% of 2026 revenue and the 25 countries below together hold 95.5%.
Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.
| # | Country | Value 2026 | Share 2026 | Value 2036 | CAGR 2026-36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | USD 2.4 bn | 24.0% | USD 4.5 bn | 6.3% |
| 2 | United Arab Emirates | USD 1.4 bn | 14.0% | USD 2.4 bn | 5.3% |
| 3 | Egypt | USD 705 mn | 7.0% | USD 1.5 bn | 7.8% |
| 4 | Algeria | USD 604 mn | 6.0% | USD 1.1 bn | 5.8% |
| 5 | United States | USD 604 mn | 6.0% | USD 974 mn | 4.9% |
| 6 | China | USD 604 mn | 6.0% | USD 1.2 bn | 6.8% |
| 7 | Morocco | USD 504 mn | 5.0% | USD 1.1 bn | 8.3% |
| 8 | Israel | USD 403 mn | 4.0% | USD 595 mn | 4.0% |
| 9 | Spain | USD 403 mn | 4.0% | USD 613 mn | 4.3% |
| 10 | Kuwait | USD 403 mn | 4.0% | USD 649 mn | 4.9% |
| 11 | Qatar | USD 383 mn | 3.8% | USD 638 mn | 5.2% |
| 12 | Australia | USD 290 mn | 2.9% | USD 485 mn | 5.3% |
| 13 | Oman | USD 221 mn | 2.2% | USD 449 mn | 7.4% |
| 14 | Bahrain | USD 167 mn | 1.7% | USD 280 mn | 5.3% |
| 15 | Chile | USD 127 mn | 1.3% | USD 258 mn | 7.3% |
| 16 | India | USD 97 mn | 1.0% | USD 225 mn | 8.8% |
| 17 | Singapore | USD 74 mn | 0.7% | USD 123 mn | 5.2% |
| 18 | Iran | USD 55 mn | 0.6% | USD 92 mn | 5.2% |
| 19 | Libya | USD 42 mn | 0.4% | USD 70 mn | 5.2% |
| 20 | Jordan | USD 32 mn | 0.3% | USD 54 mn | 5.3% |
| 21 | Mexico | USD 24 mn | 0.2% | USD 40 mn | 5.1% |
| 22 | Japan | USD 18 mn | 0.2% | USD 25 mn | 3.4% |
| 23 | Tunisia | USD 14 mn | 0.1% | USD 23 mn | 5.2% |
| 24 | South Africa | USD 11 mn | 0.1% | USD 18 mn | 5.0% |
| 25 | Peru | USD 8.1 mn | 0.08% | USD 16 mn | 7.3% |
| Rest of world | USD 451 mn | 4.5% | USD 738 mn | 5.0% |
Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.
Competitive landscape
Group 1: Global leaders
- Veolia
- Doosan Enerbility
- ACCIONA
- IDE Technologies
- ACWA Power
- SUEZ
- GS Inima
Group 2: Regional and specialist players
- Aqualia
- Metito
- Webuild
- Hitachi Zosen
- Sacyr
- Marubeni
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction
- Cadagua
Group 3: Emerging and niche players
- Abengoa
- Aquatech
- Gradiant
- Seven Seas Water Group
Research methodology
Every figure on this page comes from the research framework that we apply to all of the markets we cover. The 2025 base for the desalination plant market is built from the volume sold and the price that buyers pay, and is cross-checked against the size of the wider industry the market belongs to. Where a market can be sized in more than one way, the routes are compared before a figure is set.
The forecast runs year by year from the 2025 base to 2036. Growth in each year reflects demand from the industries that buy the product, adoption of new technology, pricing, regulation and replacement cycles. Volume and price are modelled together, so revenue in each year equals volume multiplied by average price. The 2026 to 2036 compound annual growth rate of 6.0% is calculated from the resulting values.
The market is divided by technology, by water source, by end use, by plant capacity, by project delivery model. The 25 largest countries are ranked by revenue earned from sales to buyers in each country, not by where the product is made. Segment values and country values add up to the market total in every year, and every report is checked for consistency before it is published.
Companies are placed in three groups: global leaders, regional and specialist players, and emerging and niche players. The groups describe how companies compete in the market. They are not a ranking and they are not market shares.
Our analysts also carry out primary research. Customized reports add interviews with key opinion leaders, such as senior executives, technical specialists and buyers, to test the assumptions behind the numbers for the question being asked.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the desalination plant market?
The global desalination plant market is estimated at USD 9.5 bn in 2025 and USD 10.1 bn in 2026.
How fast will the desalination plant market grow?
It is forecast to reach USD 18.0 bn by 2036, a compound annual growth rate of 6.0% from 2026, an increase of USD 8.0 bn.
Which country is the largest market for desalination plant?
Saudi Arabia is the largest market by revenue at USD 2.4 bn in 2026, 24.0% of the global total. The three largest countries together hold 45.0%.
Which country is growing fastest?
Among the ten largest markets, Morocco is growing fastest at 8.3% a year from 2026 to 2036.
Which desalination plant segment is largest?
In the by technology split, Reverse osmosis is the largest segment with 82.0% of 2026 revenue.
Who are the leading desalination plant companies?
Global leaders include Veolia, Doosan Enerbility, ACCIONA, IDE Technologies.
Need the full report?
Request a sample to see the structure, tables and country detail.
Request a free sampleRelated markets in Services and Utilities
- Street LightingUSD 10.1 bn · 6.5% CAGR
- TollingUSD 10.1 bn · 6.5% CAGR
- Micro MobilityUSD 10.4 bn · 7.5% CAGR
- Predictive Maintenance ServiceUSD 10.5 bn · 22.0% CAGR
- Car SharingUSD 10.5 bn · 10.5% CAGR
- Used Oil RecyclingUSD 8.8 bn · 4.0% CAGR
- Air Quality ManagementUSD 8.7 bn · 8.7% CAGR
- CompostingUSD 11.7 bn · 6.5% CAGR