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Desalination Plant Market Size, Share and Forecast 2026-2036

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.

USD 10.1 bnMarket size 2026
USD 18.0 bnForecast 2036
6.0%CAGR 2026-2036
Saudi ArabiaLargest country

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5 segmentation views25 countries2026 to 2036 yearly forecast

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.

ScopePlants 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.
IndustryServices and Utilities
Value 2025USD 9.5 bn
Value 2026USD 10.1 bn
Value 2036USD 18.0 bn
CAGR 2026-20366.0%
Volume 20267,833 thousand cubic metres per day
Volume 203612,086 thousand cubic metres per day
Average price 2026USD 1,286 per cubic metres per day
Report priceStarts from USD 1,999
PublishedNovember 2026

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Desalination Plant market size and forecast, 2026-2036

Exhibit 1The global desalination plant market is forecast to grow from USD 10.1 bn in 2026 to USD 18.0 bn by 2036, a rise of 79%Global market value in USD: 2025 base year, 2026 estimate and forecast to 2036. CAGR 2026 to 2036: 6.0%
Desalination Plant market value, 2025 to 2036Market value by year. 2025: USD 9.5 bn; 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. Compound annual growth rate 2026 to 2036: 6.0%.202510.1 bn202613.5 bn203118.0 bn20366.0% CAGR

Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.

YearMarket value
2026USD 10.1 bn
2027USD 10.7 bn
2028USD 11.3 bn
2029USD 12.0 bn
2030USD 12.7 bn
2031USD 13.5 bn
2032USD 14.3 bn
2033USD 15.1 bn
2034USD 16.1 bn
2035USD 17.0 bn
2036USD 18.0 bn

Desalination Plant market segmentation

By technology

Exhibit 2Reverse osmosis is the largest segment by technology, with 82.0% of 2026 revenueEstimated share of 2026 global revenue, by technology
Desalination Plant market share by technology, 2026Share of 2026 revenue by technology. Reverse osmosis: 82.0%; Multi-effect distillation: 8.0%; Multi-stage flash: 6.0%; Other: 4.0%.Reverse osmosis82.0%Multi-effect distillation8.0%Multi-stage flash6.0%Other4.0%

Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.

SegmentShare 2026Share 2036Value 2026CAGR 2026-36
Reverse osmosis82.0%86.7%USD 8.3 bn6.6%
Multi-stage flash6.0%3.6%USD 604 mn0.6%
Multi-effect distillation8.0%6.1%USD 806 mn3.1%
Other4.0%3.7%USD 403 mn5.1%

By water source

Exhibit 3Seawater adds the most revenue by water source, growing from USD 7.3 bn in 2026 to USD 13.4 bn by 2036Estimated revenue in USD by water source, 2026 and 2036 forecast
Desalination Plant market by water source, 2026 and 2036Revenue by water source in 2026 and 2036. Seawater: USD 7.3 bn in 2026, USD 13.4 bn in 2036, change +84%; Brackish water: USD 2.0 bn in 2026, USD 3.4 bn in 2036, change +68%; River and waste water: USD 806 mn in 2026, USD 1.3 bn in 2036, change +60%.20262036 forecastChangeSeawater+84%7.3 bn13.4 bnBrackish water+68%2.0 bn3.4 bnRiver and waste water+60%806 mn1.3 bn

Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.

SegmentShare 2026Share 2036Value 2026CAGR 2026-36
Seawater72.0%74.1%USD 7.3 bn6.3%
Brackish water20.0%18.7%USD 2.0 bn5.3%
River and waste water8.0%7.1%USD 806 mn4.8%

By end use

SegmentShare 2026Share 2036Value 2026CAGR 2026-36
Municipal62.0%64.5%USD 6.2 bn6.4%
Industrial26.0%24.6%USD 2.6 bn5.4%
Power, irrigation and other12.0%10.8%USD 1.2 bn4.9%

By plant capacity

SegmentShare 2026Share 2036Value 2026CAGR 2026-36
Under 10,000 cubic metres a day22.0%18.0%USD 2.2 bn3.9%
10,000 to 100,000 cubic metres a day43.0%42.0%USD 4.3 bn5.8%
Over 100,000 cubic metres a day35.0%40.0%USD 3.5 bn7.4%

By project delivery model

SegmentShare 2026Share 2036Value 2026CAGR 2026-36
Engineering, procurement and construction34.0%29.0%USD 3.4 bn4.3%
Build-own-operate (independent water producers)47.0%53.0%USD 4.7 bn7.3%
Build-operate-transfer19.0%18.0%USD 1.9 bn5.4%

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%.

Exhibit 4Saudi Arabia is the largest country market at USD 2.4 bn in 2026, and the three largest countries hold 45.0% of global revenueEstimated 2026 revenue in USD and share of the global market, ten largest countries
Desalination Plant market, ten largest countries in 2026Ten largest countries by 2026 revenue. Saudi Arabia: USD 2.4 bn, 24.0%; United Arab Emirates: USD 1.4 bn, 14.0%; Egypt: USD 705 mn, 7.0%; Algeria: USD 604 mn, 6.0%; United States: USD 604 mn, 6.0%; China: USD 604 mn, 6.0%; Morocco: USD 504 mn, 5.0%; Israel: USD 403 mn, 4.0%; Spain: USD 403 mn, 4.0%; Kuwait: USD 403 mn, 4.0%.Saudi Arabia2.4 bn 24.0%United Arab Emirates1.4 bn 14.0%Egypt705 mn 7.0%Algeria604 mn 6.0%United States604 mn 6.0%China604 mn 6.0%Morocco504 mn 5.0%Israel403 mn 4.0%Spain403 mn 4.0%Kuwait403 mn 4.0%

Source: Compare Market Research analysis.
© 2026 Compare Market Research. All rights reserved.

#CountryValue 2026Share 2026Value 2036CAGR 2026-36
1Saudi ArabiaUSD 2.4 bn24.0%USD 4.5 bn6.3%
2United Arab EmiratesUSD 1.4 bn14.0%USD 2.4 bn5.3%
3EgyptUSD 705 mn7.0%USD 1.5 bn7.8%
4AlgeriaUSD 604 mn6.0%USD 1.1 bn5.8%
5United StatesUSD 604 mn6.0%USD 974 mn4.9%
6ChinaUSD 604 mn6.0%USD 1.2 bn6.8%
7MoroccoUSD 504 mn5.0%USD 1.1 bn8.3%
8IsraelUSD 403 mn4.0%USD 595 mn4.0%
9SpainUSD 403 mn4.0%USD 613 mn4.3%
10KuwaitUSD 403 mn4.0%USD 649 mn4.9%
11QatarUSD 383 mn3.8%USD 638 mn5.2%
12AustraliaUSD 290 mn2.9%USD 485 mn5.3%
13OmanUSD 221 mn2.2%USD 449 mn7.4%
14BahrainUSD 167 mn1.7%USD 280 mn5.3%
15ChileUSD 127 mn1.3%USD 258 mn7.3%
16IndiaUSD 97 mn1.0%USD 225 mn8.8%
17SingaporeUSD 74 mn0.7%USD 123 mn5.2%
18IranUSD 55 mn0.6%USD 92 mn5.2%
19LibyaUSD 42 mn0.4%USD 70 mn5.2%
20JordanUSD 32 mn0.3%USD 54 mn5.3%
21MexicoUSD 24 mn0.2%USD 40 mn5.1%
22JapanUSD 18 mn0.2%USD 25 mn3.4%
23TunisiaUSD 14 mn0.1%USD 23 mn5.2%
24South AfricaUSD 11 mn0.1%USD 18 mn5.0%
25PeruUSD 8.1 mn0.08%USD 16 mn7.3%
Rest of worldUSD 451 mn4.5%USD 738 mn5.0%
Exhibit 5Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates account for 38% of the USD 8.0 bn the market is forecast to add by 2036Forecast revenue added between 2026 and 2036 by country, in USD
Desalination Plant market, where the growth to 2036 comes fromRevenue added between 2026 and 2036. Market value 2026: USD 10.1 bn. Saudi Arabia: +USD 2.0 bn; United Arab Emirates: +USD 953 mn; Egypt: +USD 792 mn; Morocco: +USD 615 mn; China: +USD 568 mn; 20 other countries: +USD 2.7 bn; Rest of world: +USD 286 mn. Market value 2036: USD 18.0 bn.Market value 202610.1 bnSaudi Arabia+2.0 bnUnited Arab Emirates+953 mnEgypt+792 mnMorocco+615 mnChina+568 mn20 other countries+2.7 bnRest of world+286 mnMarket value 203618.0 bn

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.

Read the full research methodology

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.

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