Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment in South Korea Trends and Forecast
The future of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in South Korea 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 South Korea 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 South Korea
South Korea is leading the upgrade of its water infrastructure with innovations in wastewater treatment powered by urbanization, environmental regulations, and a national vision of resource circularity. With a high population density and scarce water resources, the nation is focusing on tertiary treatment to make effluent safe, support reuse, and safeguard aquatic environments. Some of the key trends are digital integration, high-efficiency polishing, and advanced nutrient removal. With policy encouragement and solid R&D capability, South Korea‘s market is adopting equipment that is improving reliability, minimizing environmental footprints, and catering to climate resilience in urban as well as industrial applications.
• Smart Sensors for Automated Tertiary Operation: South Korean utilities are embedding smart sensor networks into tertiary treatment processes to enhance control, accuracy, and efficiency. The sensors track real-time parameters like turbidity, pH, and nutrient levels, allowing for automated adjustments in chemical dosing and filtration. The move towards digitization is lowering labor costs, upgrading effluent quality, and maintaining compliance with aggressive water quality regulations. It also enables predictive maintenance, prolonging equipment life and enhancing long-term system sustainability.
• Environment-Friendly Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs): To address increasing needs for micropollutant elimination, utilities are implementing green AOPs with ozone, UV, and hydrogen peroxide technologies. These treatment stages degrade pharmaceutical residues, endocrine disruptors, and pesticides that get past previous stages of treatment. AOPs provide better disinfection with no harmful by-products, which is in line with public health and environmental protection objectives. Their usage is transforming tertiary treatment by allowing cleaner discharge and safer water reuse in environmentally sensitive urban settings.
• Urban Building-Integrated Water Reuse Systems: South Korea is promoting building-integrated tertiary systems for water reuse within high-rise buildings, shopping malls, and public centers. These small-scale units treat greywater onsite for toilet flushing, cooling, and irrigation. With MBRs and UV polishing, they enable distributed water reuse with a small infrastructure footprint. This trend complements urban sustainability, decreases reliance on municipal supply, and lessens discharge loads on centralized infrastructure, making cities more water-stress resilient.
• Integration of Nutrient Recovery in Municipal Plants: Municipal authorities are implementing tertiary systems that recover wastewater stream phosphorus and nitrogen. Struvite precipitation and ammonia stripping technologies are being incorporated downstream of biological treatment processes. The processes lower eutrophication hazards and generate salable by-products such as fertilizers. The trend encourages circular water economies, lowers treatment costs, and provides support for national policies on sustainable agriculture and resource protection.
• Coastal Resilient Wastewater Polishing Units: For coastal pollution management, South Korea is installing tertiary polishing units at estuary and marine outfall plants. High salinity- and tidal-influence-preferred systems like sand filters and chlorination modules are utilized. Units minimize the discharge of nutrients and pathogens that compromise marine biodiversity and tourism. The trend demonstrates more investment in coastal ecosystem protection and adherence to marine environment quality standards.
South Korea‘s tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market trends are characterized by digital innovation, urban resilience, and resource circularity. From building-integrated systems to eco-safe oxidation and nutrient recovery, the market is changing to cater to water reuse needs and align with sustainability objectives. The changes are improving water security, enhancing environmental performance, and putting South Korea at the forefront of regional advanced wastewater management.
Recent Developments in the Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea
South Korea‘s tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market has seen recent significant developments spurred by environmental policy, technology uptake, and investment strategy. Urban centers are modernizing treatment facilities, industries are developing infrastructure with systems for reuse, circularity, and climate resilience, and public infrastructure is also investing in such systems. The developments are aligned with government priorities for pollution abatement, smart city development, and resource capture and are driving the need for high-performance and energy-efficient tertiary equipment in several regions and applications.
• Seoul‘s Urban Water Reuse Pilot Projects: The Seoul Metropolitan Government initiated pilot programs to recycle tertiary-treated water for urban cleaning and cooling. These projects utilize advanced membrane technology and UV treatment to create high-grade reclaimed water. Treated effluent is supplied through dual networks in commercial areas. The innovation encourages reuse within water-stressed zones, lowers the dependency on potable sources, and serves South Korea‘s water circularity aspirations under its Green New Deal strategy.
• Ulsan Industrial Zone Upgrades: Ulsan petrochemical complex is spending on tertiary treatment upgrades to address more stringent discharge regulations. Fitting ozone polishing, microfiltration, and nutrient stripping technologies will enable reused treated wastewater to go into cooling and process loops. The project shows increased environmental attention focused on industrial zones and points to the importance of tertiary systems for enhancing sustainability and operational performance in major economic sectors.
• Busan Coastal Plant Retrofitting Program: Busan is retrofitting the coastal wastewater treatment plants with tertiary polishing units to reduce marine pollution. Chlorination, filtration, and pathogen removal modules are the new installations. The upgrades are necessary to address new environmental regulations and safeguard the coastal economy of the city. This development provides a better effluent quality and conforms to regional plans for improving marine conservation and sustaining fisheries.
• Installation of Compact Tertiary Units in Rural Schools: The Ministry of Environment has installed compact tertiary units in rural schools to treat greywater for toilet and landscaping reuse. These systems have plug-and-play MBBRs and disinfection modules. It promotes hygiene, water saving, and environmental education in remote areas. It also demonstrates the flexibility of tertiary systems for decentralized and community-scale use.
• Introduction of National Water Recycling Certification System: South Korea has implemented a new certification system for water reuse plants with performance criteria for tertiary treatment equipment. Certification for public and industrial reuse projects is now mandatory to promote safety, reliability, and environmental compliance. This move enhances quality assurance, forces innovation in equipment design, and increases public confidence in treated water reuse projects.
South Korea’s recent developments demonstrate strong institutional and technical momentum in tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment. Through strategic upgrades, decentralized applications, and policy-driven quality frameworks, the market is advancing rapidly. These initiatives are reinforcing wastewater reuse, improving environmental protection, and enabling the country to meet ambitious sustainability and resource efficiency targets in both urban and industrial contexts.
Strategic Growth Opportunities for Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea
South Korea is investing in the development of tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment to better address environmental issues, facilitate water reuse, and ensure public health. With increasing population density and growing industrial activities, the stress on available water resources is increasing. Tertiary water treatment is becoming a vital measure to enable safe discharge of water, facilitate recycling, and address policy objectives. Opportunities are growing in all fields, like municipalities, industry, agriculture, and high-tech campuses, which pose immense demand for small, high-efficiency, and automated treatment equipment.
• Municipal Wastewater Reuse for Urban Resilience: South Korea is encouraging water reuse in cities to decrease the dependence on freshwater supplies and increase climate resilience. Cities are incorporating tertiary systems through disinfection, membrane separation, and chemical polishing. Reclaimed water is used for street washing, gardening, and flushing toilets. These systems augment the government‘s objectives of doubling reuse rates and achieving water security. This opportunity increases the demand for scalable, energy-saving equipment customized to space-limited, urban infrastructure.
• Sophisticated Treatment in Semiconductor and Electronics Facilities: The ultrapure water and tightly controlled wastewater discharge of the high-tech manufacturing industry call for advanced technology treatment systems. Tertiary systems like nanofiltration and UV disinfection are applied in semiconductor and electronics plants to ensure high-quality and environmental compliance. South Korea‘s world dominance in electronics manufacturing propels the use of high-performance systems that facilitate recycling within and minimize environmental footprint. This trend maintains market demand for accurate and space-saving treatment technologies, facilitating production continuity and water effectiveness.
• Shared Water Infrastructure Industrial Clusters: Specialized zones like Ulsan and Incheon are implementing centralized wastewater treatment for several tenants. Tertiary equipment is employed to finish effluent polishing for reuse or discharge compliance. Shared facilities lower operating expenses and increase compliance. The shared model establishes a market for low-maintenance, modular units capable of processing diverse effluent streams with consistent regulatory goals.
• Agricultural Irrigation Using Water Reuse: South Korea has limited land for cultivation and meager irrigation water. Tertiary-treated wastewater is now being embraced to sustain crop growth in peri-urban and rural settings. Pathogen elimination and nutrient management systems yield water fit for irrigation without posing health hazards. The government encourages water reuse for agriculture, opening up chances for low-cost, long-lasting equipment that can serve dispersed rural customers and small-scale farms.
• Eco-Campus and Green Infrastructure Projects: University campuses, research institutions, and green residential complexes are driving closed-loop water systems with tertiary treatment in the center. Compact systems for recycling wastewater into greywater uses are installed on university campuses, research institutions, and new residential complexes. They seamlessly interface with energy-efficient and environmental monitoring frameworks. Automatic, space-efficient treatment technologies are preferred in this market segment that are compliant with sustainability certifications and user convenience expectations.
South Korea‘s drive for urban resilience, industrial water efficiency, and sustainable development is creating consistent demand for tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment. Use in high-tech manufacturing, agriculture, and shared utility systems is on the rise. When cities and industries want to make water use more efficient and less harmful to the environment, advanced treatment systems become part of long-term infrastructure and resource planning.
Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea Driver and Challenges
South Korea‘s tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market is influenced by stringent environmental regulations, clean process demand from industry, and government policy support for water reuse. Technological leadership and urban innovation also foster system integration. Challenges, however, are high energy prices, limited room for retrofitting, and increasing maintenance complexity. Knowledge of these drivers and barriers is essential to meet market needs and facilitate wider deployment of tertiary technologies across key industries.
The factors responsible for driving the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in South Korea include:
• Stricter Environmental and Discharge Regulations: South Korea has strict pollutant discharge regulations in place to safeguard rivers and coastal areas. Tertiary treatment is mandated to eliminate nitrogen, phosphorus, and pathogens to ultra-low levels. Reforms to regulations under the Water Quality Act encourage investment in polishing systems. This driver generates the need for technologies that provide controlled compliance and lower long-term environmental risk for municipal and industrial operators.
• Government Incentives towards Reuse and Smart Cities: The Korean government offers policy and funding incentives for water reuse and smart infrastructure. National initiatives promote efficient water use, and municipalities and enterprises are incentivized to implement tertiary treatment. This ranges from support for decentralized systems to incorporation within green buildings. Consequently, uptake of tertiary equipment rises for public and private developments that fit into smart and sustainable city initiatives.
• Urban Population Growth and Water Stress: Urbanization escalated water usage and wastewater volumes, straining current treatment capacities. Tertiary treatment supports cities in handling resource shortage through allowing reuse and lessening the pressure on natural water resources. Point-of-use or centralized polishing units are essential equipment for treating and redirecting wastewater. This driver supports long-term investment in modular and versatile treatment technologies.
• ESG Pressure and Industrial Water Efficiency: Export-focused producers face increasing pressure to achieve environmental and social governance goals. Tertiary systems facilitate water recycling and discharge norms compliance along with enhanced corporate sustainability scores. Industries like semiconductors, automotive, and textiles are adopting tertiary treatment to comply with local regulations as well as international standards. This driver encourages adoption of precision gear that can address varying and stringent effluent conditions.
• Emphasis on Technological Innovation and Automation: Automation, robotics, and intelligent system strengths in South Korea enable the implementation of intelligent water treatment machines. A tertiary unit with remote control, performance monitoring, and prediction maintenance capabilities is needed. The innovation-driven culture allows suppliers to provide next-generation solutions that need minimal user intervention and provide maximum performance for complicated applications.
Challenges in the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in South Korea are:
• High Operational and Energy Costs: Tertiary systems, especially advanced oxidation and membrane technologies, are energy-intensive. This means higher costs of operation for users, particularly in small installations. The challenge is compounded by the high industrial electricity prices in South Korea. The suppliers need to counter this challenge by enhancing energy efficiency and providing cost-saving system designs that minimize life-cycle costs.
• Space Constraints in Urban Installations: South Korean urban density means that room is a luxury and there are restricted choices for big treatment plants. Retrofitting tertiary equipment to fit older infrastructure is not feasible because of physical and logistical limitations. Treatment systems need to be stackable, compact, or underground. This problem works to the advantage of those suppliers who offer creative solutions that can operate within confined city layouts.
• Complexity in Maintenance and Skilled Labor Needs: As treatment systems become more advanced, they require trained operators for maintenance. Shortages in water treatment technicians exist in South Korea, especially in small towns or non-industrial areas. This problem can be resolved through the development of automated systems and increasing training programs to develop the workforce required for long-term running and maintenance of tertiary technologies.
South Korea‘s tertiary wastewater industry is expanding as a result of tight environmental regulations, urban growth, and industrial demand for water reuse. Although policy incentives and innovation drive uptake, breaking cost, space, and labor constraints is critical. With appropriate technologies and approaches, the industry holds vast long-term potential in facilitating national objectives for clean water, sustainable development, and green resilience.
List of Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea 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 South Korea by Segment
The study includes a forecast for the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in South Korea by equipment and application.
Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea by Equipment [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:
• Tertiary Clarifier
• Filter
• Chlorination Systems
Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea by Application [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:
• Municipal
• Industrial
• Others
Features of the Tertiary Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market in South Korea
Market Size Estimates: Tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in South Korea market size estimation in terms of value ($B).
Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends and forecasts by various segments.
Segmentation Analysis: Tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in South Korea market size by equipment and application in terms of value ($B).
Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different equipment and application for the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in South Korea.
Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment in South Korea.
Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter’s Five Forces model.
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FAQ
Q1. What are the major drivers influencing the growth of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in South Korea?
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 South Korea?
Answer: The future of the tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market in South Korea looks promising with opportunities in the municipal and industrial markets.
Q3. Which tertiary water & wastewater treatment equipment market segment in South Korea 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 South Korea 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?
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