Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China

Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment in China Trends and Forecast

The future of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China looks promising with opportunities in the municipal and industrial markets. The global tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.1% from 2025 to 2031. The tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China is also forecasted to witness strong growth over the forecast period. The major drivers for this market are the water scarcity/lack of freshwater resources, the growth in industrial water consumption & discharge, and the increasing government initiatives to provide safe drinking water.
• Lucintel forecasts that, within the equipment category, the filter segment is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period due to its ability to eliminate any remaining suspended contaminants from the wastewater.

Emerging Trends in the Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China

China is gearing up its attention towards improving water quality, recovering resources, and reducing pollution through efficient tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment. With growing stricter discharge norms, increasing industrial operations, and deteriorating urban water scarcity, new trends are surfacing to improve treatment performance. The market is experiencing extensive innovation in decentralized facilities, low-carbon technologies, and real-time monitoring systems. These patterns support China‘s overall vision for ecological civilization and high-quality development, fueling the need for scalable, smart, and sustainable treatment equipment for both municipal and industrial use.

• Low-Carbon Wastewater Treatment Systems: Spurred by China‘s aspirations for carbon neutrality, wastewater treatment facilities are implementing energy-saving tertiary technologies like AnMBRs, UV-LED disinfection, and solar-powered filtration. These technologies cut down on electricity usage and emissions while ensuring effective treatment. Pilot projects in Guangzhou and Beijing indicate tangible improvements in carbon savings and costs. This takes water infrastructure upgrades along with national decarbonization objectives, presenting urban and peri-urban areas with new low-energy treatment technologies.
• Removal of Multi-Pollutants from Industrial Effluent: Industries are requiring tertiary systems that can treat mixed pollutants such as heavy metals, microplastics, and pharmaceutical residues. Oxidation, ion exchange, and ultrafiltration integrated processes are being utilized in industries like textiles, chemicals, and electronics. These systems allow the plants to achieve tighter industrial effluent standards. This trend encourages high-performance treatment units specific to China‘s intricate industrial map, facilitating water reuse and environmental regulation in key manufacturing areas.
• Mobile and Decentralized Treatment Units: China is aggressively installing mobile and modular tertiary systems in rural communities, construction sites, and temporary industrial areas. The systems provide compact size, plug-and-play functionality, and remote control. Provinces such as Guangxi and Sichuan have tested mobile MBR systems with polishing filters to meet small villages. This practice promotes fair access to clean water infrastructure to allow effective treatment where central systems are not practicable.
• Digital Twin Integration for Treatment Optimization: Utilities are now more than ever utilizing digital twins to track and model wastewater treatment processes. Such AI-powered platforms provide predictive maintenance, chemical dosing management, and energy optimization. Facilities in Shanghai and Tianjin are incorporating digital twins into tertiary treatment blocks for enhanced real-time performance. This is boosting operational accuracy, lowering cost overruns, and increasing responsiveness, making intelligent water management a central aspect of China‘s upgraded treatment plants.
• Urban Environmental Use of Treated Water: Urban areas are increasingly utilizing treated tertiary effluent for landscaping, firefighting, and replenishing surface water. Urban heat islands and the dependency on freshwater resources are reduced through the practice. Advanced polishing technologies like ultrafiltration and chlorination are utilized to reuse effluent in a safe way. Both water scarcity and climatic resilience are addressed through the trend while aligning urban water recycling with sustainable urban planning.

China‘s tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment industry is transforming with low-carbon operations, control of industrial pollutants, and digital optimization trends. The emergence of decentralized and urban reuse systems demonstrates a move towards intelligent and flexible infrastructure that enables ecological objectives. The trends are stimulating extensive innovation and positioning tertiary treatment at the heart of China‘s water security and environmental sustainability policy.

Recent Developments in the Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China

China is investing strategically and regulating to boost tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment capacity. Recent initiatives involve upgrading treatment plants, incorporating smart technologies, and conforming to fresh discharge standards under the Yangtze River Protection Law. These improvements are encouraging cross-sector collaborations and speeding market uptake of new tertiary technologies. Public-private collaborations and region-specific programs are helping China shift toward high-quality, efficient, and climate-resilient water treatment infrastructure.

• Class A Discharge Standard Mandates Implementation: China has required countrywide retrofits at wastewater plants to achieve Class A discharge standards, particularly in key river basins. Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Chongqing municipalities are retrofitting plants with advanced filtration, nutrient removal, and disinfection modules. The development creates a demand for high-efficiency tertiary equipment and forces regional authorities to invest in equipment and training for staff. It‘s a substantial market driver for advanced treatment solutions in highly populated and environmentally sensitive regions.
• Scale-up of Sponge City Projects with Tertiary Reuse Units: Sponge City demonstration areas are adopting tertiary systems for greywater and wastewater treatment to be reused non-potably. Wuhan and Shenzhen cities are using polishing units to provide treated water for irrigation, street flushing, and water features. These innovations marry urban resilience with resource efficiency, aligning with China‘s climate adaptation policy. The incorporation of tertiary reuse infrastructure guarantees that city runoff and treated effluent are useful for reintegration into city systems.
• Industrial Park Water Circularity Programs: New developments in industrial parks throughout Hebei and Guangdong are equipping central tertiary treatment facilities for water reuse across numerous tenants. Facilities encompass membrane bioreactors, advanced oxidation units, and nutrient polishing stages. Reuse water is channeled for cooling towers, cleaning, and process water. This model of shared infrastructure lowers aggregate water demand and improves regulatory compliance. It demonstrates increasing dedication to resource-efficient manufacturing and harmonized environmental stewardship.
• Pilot Projects on Greywater Tertiary Treatment in High-Rise Complexes: High-density apartment projects in Shanghai and Chengdu are piloting tertiary greywater treatment units in building basements. The systems allow reuse for flushing and irrigation, minimizing water demand and pressure on municipal supply. Units conventionally combine biological treatment with fine filtration and UV disinfection. This innovation marks a transition toward decentralized building-level water recycling as cities struggle with intensifying water scarcity and construction densification.
• Government Procurement for Smart Monitoring Equipment: The Ministry of Ecology and Environment initiated procurement initiatives to install smart sensors, flow meters, and compliance monitoring platforms in wastewater facilities. These technologies are mainly being implemented in tertiary modules to track nutrient removal and effluent quality in real time. It is most adopted in pilot smart city jurisdictions. This innovation aids in national targets for digital governance, openness, and speedy enforcement in environmental protection.

Recent innovations in China‘s tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment industry demonstrate firm momentum toward compliance-led upgrades, combined reuse systems, and digital monitoring. Mandatory national requirements, planning reforms at the urban level, and industrial collaboration are transforming infrastructure priorities. Such developments support the transition of the market from fundamental treatment to multifunctional, smart systems addressing water scarcity, pollution control, and climatic resilience at the local and national levels.

Strategic Growth Opportunities for Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China

China is driving investment in sophisticated tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment to counter pollution, enhance water reuse, and fulfill sustainability objectives. Urbanization, industrial growth, and more stringent environmental regulations have positioned tertiary treatment as a necessity for reaching national water quality goals. This transition drives growth across various industries such as agriculture, industry, and municipalities. As China becomes more circular in its use of water and climate resilient, opportunities in the market are increasing for suppliers of equipment providing high-efficiency, modular, and compliant tertiary systems specific to major applications.

• Municipal Utilities Effluent Reuse: Megacities in China are under pressure to find water supplies for growing populations. Municipalities are putting in place reuse projects utilizing tertiary systems to treat wastewater for landscape irrigation, street washing, and cooling. UV disinfection, ultrafiltration, and biological polishing are added to plants to enhance effluent quality. Pilot operations in urban centers such as Beijing and Shenzhen prove reuse feasibility, spurring wider use. This validates consistent demand for high-throughput and compact tertiary units that fit national water reuse objectives.
• Industrial Water Recovery in Manufacturing Zones: Heavy industry like steel, chemical, and textiles produces wastewater that needs sophisticated treatment to comply with discharge standards and facilitate internal reuse. Tertiary equipment minimizes water intake, facilitates compliance, and enhances process efficiency. Technology such as membrane bioreactors, advanced oxidation, and zero-liquid-discharge facilities is being implemented in industrial parks. Usage is increasing as companies opt for China‘s dual control policy of both reducing pollution and optimizing water resources.
• Wastewater Polishing for Agricultural Irrigation: Treated sewage water is being employed to irrigate water-short areas like Hebei and Inner Mongolia. Tertiary treatment eliminates nutrients, organics, and pathogens to condition water for crops. Methods such as filtration, chlorination, and nutrient removal are increasingly popular among rural utilities. This use meets the demand for sustainable water supplies in agriculture while conserving soil and public health, stimulating investment in low-maintenance tertiary systems.
• Ecotourism Development in Ecologically Sensitive Regions: China’s eco-tourism zones and national parks require advanced wastewater treatment to avoid damaging fragile ecosystems. Resorts and lodges are adopting compact tertiary units such as solar-powered disinfection and MBBR systems for on-site treatment and reuse. This trend is driven by strict environmental standards and green certification requirements. Demand is growing for plug-and-play solutions that offer reliable performance with minimal footprint and are suitable for decentralized operation in remote or protected areas.
• Protection from Surface Water around industrial agglomerations: Industrial parks along major rivers like the Yangtze and Yellow River must decrease discharge of pollutants to preserve sources of drinking water and aquatic ecosystems. Tertiary polishing units are provided to achieve Class I or II water quality. Nutrient stripping, chemical oxidation, and pathogen destruction take priority. This application represents a component of the countrywide initiative to rejuvenate major bodies of water, providing consistent demand for sophisticated treatment systems throughout heavy industry and urban water plants.

China‘s focus on water recycling, environmental sustainability, and industrial efficiency is driving growth in tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment. Municipal reuse applications, agriculture, industry, and eco-tourism drive the market for modular, regulation-compliant equipment. These opportunities underscore China‘s evolution to sustainable water management, making tertiary technologies key drivers of future ecological and development targets.

Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Driver and Challenges

China‘s tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment industry is driven by policy-led objectives for pollution management, water recycling, and sustainable development. National discharge requirements, industrial upgrading, and climate resilience are the main drivers. Meanwhile, operational cost, fragmented enforcement, and infrastructure inequality influence deployment. Market dynamics are essential to understand for equipment providers and project parties seeking to help drive China‘s water sustainability plan through consistent and scalable tertiary treatment solutions.

The factors responsible for driving the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China include:
• Adoption of National Discharge Standards: China has strict discharge requirements using such standards as GB 8978 and Class A and B local regulations. Existing systems must be upgraded with tertiary processes to qualify for pollutant levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand. The high demand for technologies such as advanced filtration and chemical polishing results from this regulatory system. Ongoing monitoring, along with penalties for default, further motivates the use of high-performance systems in both municipal and industrial applications.
• Increasing Demand for Water Reuse Facilities: In order to mitigate freshwater shortage, China has rolled out policies encouraging wastewater reuse in agriculture, industry, and urban services. Tertiary treatment is essential for generating safe reuse water. The targets of government in water recycling are integrated into Five-Year Plans in order to secure long-term investment. There is increasing demand for disinfection and nutrient removal systems that facilitate closed-loop use, especially in urban areas with increasing populations and limited natural water resources.
• Industrial Modernization and Sustainability Support: Industrial upgrading programs like Made in China 2025 focus on clean production and environmental compliance. Tertiary systems assist in decreasing wastewater discharge and supporting on-site reuse as heavy-polluting industries shift toward cleaner operations. Green certification schemes and financial incentives speed up investment in next-generation treatment technologies. The driver maintains the demand of heavy industries to fulfill sustainability targets and minimize regulatory risk.
• Climate Change and Water Resilience Strategies: Climate change and local water scarcity are necessitating the integration of water resilience into planning processes. Tertiary systems enhance treatment reliability and water reuse capacity during floods and droughts. Decentralized and mobile facilities are preferred as tools for emergency deployment and use in remote locations. This driver promotes innovation and uptake of strong, flexible tertiary equipment, which builds community and industrial resilience.
• Government Support and Eco-City Master Plans: Government subsidies and public investments finance the installation of high-end water treatment solutions within new green industrial parks and eco-cities. Tertiary systems are incorporated into infrastructure to provide low-emission, resource-saving development. Provincial and central governments fund demonstration projects featuring integrated wastewater reuse. This driver has high growth potential for suppliers who can take part in state-sponsored sustainable development programs.

Challenges in the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China are:
• High Operating Costs for Sophisticated Systems: Advanced tertiary technologies tend to have high chemical, energy, and maintenance costs. Such systems can be difficult for small utilities or rural facilities to afford or operate efficiently. This cost issue depresses market penetration in developing areas. Suppliers will need to provide low-cost, energy-efficient systems with easy operation and low technical reliance in order to overcome this.
• Inequitable Policy Implementation Across Regions: Although national policy is well-defined, implementation is highly heterogeneous across provinces and municipalities. Enforcement in some parts of the country is inefficient, slowing tertiary upgrades and reducing demand. The uneven enforcement leads to unbalanced market expansion and ambiguity for technology providers. Harmonized oversight and intergovernmental planning are necessary to create uniform adoption.
• Infrastructure Constraints in Rural Areas: Rural treatment plants often lack space, connectivity, or supporting systems to accommodate tertiary units. Physical and financial constraints limit upgrades, even where water reuse would benefit communities. Decentralized or modular solutions can help overcome this barrier, but current adoption is limited. Addressing infrastructure gaps through mobile or pre-fabricated units can help expand access to tertiary treatment across rural China.

China‘s market for tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment is growing as a result of significant regulatory pressure, industrial reform, and water reuse aspirations. Operational expenses and uneven enforcement remain issues, but these are being offset by government backing, innovation, and incentives towards sustainable development. Ongoing emphasis on cost-saving and scalable technology will be necessary in order to achieve China‘s clean water and environmental protection ambitions on a national scale.

List of Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Companies

Companies in the market compete on the basis of product quality offered. Major players in this market focus on expanding their manufacturing facilities, R&D investments, infrastructural development, and leverage integration opportunities across the value chain. Through these strategies, tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment companies cater to increasing demand, ensure competitive effectiveness, develop innovative products & technologies, reduce production costs, and expand their customer base. Some of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment companies profiled in this report include:
• Company 1
• Company 2
• Company 3
• Company 4
• Company 5

Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China by Segment

The study includes a forecast for the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China by equipment and application.

Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China by Equipment [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:

• Tertiary Clarifier
• Filter
• Chlorination Systems

Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China by Application [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:

• Municipal
• Industrial
• Others

Features of the Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China

Market Size Estimates: Tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in China market size estimation in terms of value ($B).
Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends and forecasts by various segments.
Segmentation Analysis: Tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in China market size by equipment and application in terms of value ($B).
Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different equipment and application for the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in China.
Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in China.
Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter’s Five Forces model.

If you are looking to expand your business in this or adjacent markets, then contact us. We have done hundreds of strategic consulting projects in market entry, opportunity screening, due diligence, supply chain analysis, M & A, and more.

FAQ

Q1. What are the major drivers influencing the growth of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China?
Answer: The major drivers for this market are the water scarcity/lack of freshwater resources, the growth in industrial water consumption & discharge, and the increasing government initiatives to provide safe drinking water.
Q2. What are the major segments for tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China?
Answer: The future of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China looks promising with opportunities in the municipal and industrial markets.
Q3. Which tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market segment in China will be the largest in future?
Answer: Lucintel forecasts that filter segment is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period due to its quality of eliminating any remaining suspended contaminants from the wastewater.
Q4. Do we receive customization in this report?
Answer: Yes, Lucintel provides 10% customization without any additional cost.

This report answers following 10 key questions:

Q.1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in China by equipment (tertiary clarifier, filter, and chlorination systems), and application (municipal, industrial, and others)?
Q.2. Which segments will grow at a faster pace and why?
Q.3. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the key challenges and business risks in this market?
Q.4. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?
Q.5. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?
Q.6. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?
Q.7. What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?
Q.8. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are key players pursuing for business growth?
Q.9. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by material or product substitution?
Q.10. What M&A activity has occurred in the last 5 years and what has its impact been on the industry?
For any questions related to Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Size, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Growth, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Analysis, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Report, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Share, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Trends, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in China Forecast, Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Companies, write Lucintel analyst at email: helpdesk@lucintel.com. We will be glad to get back to you soon.