Climate change, population growth, and industrialization are increasingly straining global water supplies. At the same time, baseload demand for water is rising. The combination of these acute stresses has popularized alternative water sourcing, particularly as governments, utilities, and businesses seek diversification of their supply lines to ensure long-term viability.

Within this context, advanced water treatment options such as desalination continue to be considered as a key alternative water solution, both municipally and industrially. Key markets include some of the world’s most water-stressed regions, such as the Middle East, Australia, and the western U.S.

In this report, Bluefield’s team of water experts zeroes in on the U.S. municipal desalination market, specifically analyzing key drivers, market hotspots, and development trends between 2000 and 2023. Using a proprietary dataset of desalination facilities, we assess geographic variability, project scope and size, and source water utilization (seawater or brackish water) across a highly fragmented policy landscape.