Consumer Water Treatment System Sales Spiked 8% in 2020 Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

A new Freedonia Group analysis finds that retail sales of water filtration systems spiked 8.2% to nearly $1.6 billion in 2020, due in part to the trickle-down effects of stay-at-home orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Spending more time at home, and using their own tap water more frequently, many consumers invested in water quality.
• Additionally, reductions in dining out, travel, and entertainment spending – combined with government stimulus programs – freed up cash for consumers to invest in water treatment products, as well as other home improvements.

POU Systems Drove 2020 Water Treatment System Gains

Point-of-use (POU) systems drove market gains in 2020, as these systems cost less on average – making them readily available to most consumers – and are easier to install and/or use, particularly flow-through and faucet-mounted systems.

However, whole-house systems also saw strong growth in 2020. The housing market – including new housing completions and existing home sales – performed better than expected, which spurred adoption of these products. Whole-house systems are often installed during or immediately after home construction or a home sale.

US Consumer Water Treatment Market to Grow 3.4% Annually Through 2024

Demand for consumer water treatment systems and consumables are forecast to reach $4.5 billion in 2024, supported by:

• increased consumer awareness of potential drinking water contaminants
• expanding capabilities of available water treatment systems
• growth in new housing construction and existing home sales, as whole-house systems are often installed during construction or after a purchase

Want to Learn More?

Consumer Water Treatment is now available from the Freedonia Group. This study covers the United States consumer market for water treatment systems and consumables. Historical data for 2009, 2014, and 2019 and forecasts to 2024 and 2029 are provided for consumer water treatment systems demand both in units and in current dollars (which are not adjusted to account for inflation).

Key breakouts for consumer water treatment systems include technology, system, and US geographic region (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West).

Technologies include:

• conventional filtration (adsorptive or mechanical filtration media or the combination of the two)
• ion exchange
• reverse osmosis and other membranes (e.g., ultrafiltration, microfiltration)
• distillation
• other technologies, including magnetic and deionizing; ultraviolet disinfection; ozone treatment; and atmospheric disinfection

Types of systems include:

• whole-house (i.e., point-of-entry – POE – water purification; water conditioners)
• point-of-use (POU) – including under-the-sink, countertop, faucet-mounted, flow-through, and other POU systems (e.g., atmospheric, showerhead, water bottles, filter straws)

Consumables are also included in this study:

• replacement water filters
• water softener salt
• replacement membranes (e.g., spiral-wound, hollow-fiber, plate and frame, large tube)

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