U.S. Water Treatment Chemical Manufacturers and Distributors: Competitive Analysis & Strategies

Across the U.S., over 70,000 municipal facilities rely on chemicals to treat water and wastewater for residential, commercial, and industrial uses. Many industrial facilities also rely on additional onsite chemical treatment to meet internal process water or discharge wastewater standards. Almost all chemicals used in water treatment processes must comply with the National Standards Foundation/American National Standards Institute standards, and chemicals for wastewater treatment often must adhere to the American Water Works Association standards, limiting the supply of available chemicals.

In recent years, the U.S. water and wastewater treatment sector has experienced significant disruptions to the supply of vital water treatment chemicals. Supply challenges have stemmed from volatility in precursor chemical supply, labor shortages, and severe weather events. These supply chain disruptions, along with threats of tariffs on raw materials and imported chemicals, and demand competition from other chemical users, have all contributed to sharp increases in chemical prices. Spend on water and wastewater treatment chemicals for municipal and industrial users in the U.S. is expected to top US$9.8 billion in 2026.

As utilities and industries grapple with rising chemical costs, treatment chemical manufacturers and distributors are adapting by expanding their manufacturing and distribution footprints, advancing digital technology offerings that optimize chemical use, and developing advanced chemical solutions to increase treatment efficiency.