In this article, we take a look at the 15 countries that waste the most water per capita. You can skip our detailed water-treatment-industry analysis and go directly to the 5 Countries That Waste the Most Water.
Global Water Treatment Industry Trends
Water availability is becoming an environmental issue in many places. In some regions, droughts are becoming more common, negatively impacting people’s health and productivity. On a global level, water scarcity and droughts have become a threat to sustainable development and biodiversity.
While the world produces approximately 380 trillion liters of wastewater each year, 2.4 billion people live in water-stressed countries as of 2020 data. According to the UN SDG 6, 2.2 billion people lacked safely-managed drinking water, including 703 million without basic water service in 2022. 2 billion people had no basic hand washing facilities, whereas 3.5 billion people lacked safely-managed sanitation.
All these numbers show that while wastewater quantity is on the rise, there’s a high demand for clean water in the world. By 2030, if the wastewater treatment industries don’t quadruple in size, billions of more people will lack access to these necessities. By managing and treating water more efficiently, countries can better manage their food and energy production and further contribute to decent work and economic growth.
Entering 2024 with climate change, growing population, and advancement in technologies, the market of wastewater treatment is also evolving. The main reason for the growth in the water treatment market is the depletion of freshwater resources, which is worrisome on a global level. Therefore, the market has adopted new trends and techniques to better manage and treat wastewater.
Digitalization is one of the most significant trends adopted in the wastewater treatment industry. With increasing global water demand and the need to develop infrastructure, digital water management has become a crucial part of the water treatment industry. It helps in better control over the quality and quantity of the water, using technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), geographic information systems (GIS), digital twins, and augmented or virtual reality. PipePredict is one of the companies that delivers digital leakage detection using AI, sensors, and digital twins.
Outlook: 10 Years From Now
The global water and wastewater treatment market size is expected to grow to around USD 572.2 billion by 2032 from USD 295 billion in 2022, with a CAGR of 6.9%, as noted by Precedence Research. In 2023, the market cap was USD 313.88 Billion, and the total water consumption stood at around 4 trillion m3 annually.
Out of the total global consumption, approximately 10% of water is wasted annually. The countries using the most water are India and China. On the other hand, Costa Rica has the least annual water waste production, 42.09 m3 per capita. In terms of cities, Mexico is the city that wastes the most water — around 44% of its water consumption goes as wastewater. In the list within this article, I’ll discuss more about the countries that waste the most water.
From washing dishes to watering plants, water waste production happens all the time. In our houses, a leaked toilet alone can waste around 15,000 gallons of water a month. Water may be a commodity that we don’t think much of while using, but it’s essential for our existence. On the industrial level, the use and waste of water has increased significantly more. In the United States alone, 300 billion cubic meters (m3) of water are used by the industrial sector annually. So naturally, the water industry is a multibillion-dollar one.
The key players in the water industry are American Water Works (NYSE: AWK), Essential Utilities (NYSE: WTRG), Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), and American States Water Company (NYSE: AWR). Together, they share a total market cap of USD57.71 billion, with American Water Works (NYSE: AWK) having a market cap of 24.40 billion USD, Essential Utilities (NYSE: WTRG) having a market cap of 10.07 billion USD, and American States Water Company (NYSE: AWR) having a market cap of 2.84 billion USD.
These numbers are likely to go up as many climate experts expect droughts and extreme weather events to become more common in the coming years, which will likely raise water prices. For the same reason, leading companies in the water industry have begun looking at expansion and growth plans. By 2025, Essential Utilities (NYSE: WTRG) aims to invest about $3.3 billion towards the improvement of its water, wastewater, and natural gas infrastructure. Similarly, American Water Works (NYSE: AWK) plans to invest about $15 billion in its operations by 2027. American States Water Company (NYSE: AWR) has not yet discussed its plans for expansion and investments, but they are making significant strides. In 2023, the company's well-known subsidiary, Pennsylvania American Water, sealed the deal for the acquisition of Appalachian Utilities, Inc.
A biohazard waste disposal team safely transferring contaminated water for treatment.
Our Methodology
For our list of the most water-wasting countries, we used data from OECD, a report published by the UN Statistics Division, and a research study published by Earth System Science Data. We ranked countries based on their annual wastewater generation. We’ve also discussed annual water consumption and withdrawal within the list. The list is in an ascending order metrics-wise.
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Here are the 15 countries that waste the most water.
15. Costa Rica
Annual Water Waste Production: 42.09 m3 Per Capita
Known for its natural beauty and biodiversity, Costa Rica has a population of over 5.2 million. As of 2017, it had an annual water withdrawal of 1646.41 m3 per capita. The number dropped to 615.63 m3 per capita in 2021. In the same year, they produced 42.09 m3 of water waste per inhabitant.
The wastewater collection and treatment has been an environmental issue in the country, particularly in the northern region. To tackle the issue with innovative and technical solutions, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have started a partnership project, CReW+, in Costa Rica and 17 other countries in the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is funding the project.
14. Iran
Annual Wastewater Production: 48.18 m3 per capita
While Iran is a large country, It has few direct sources of freshwater. Most of the drinking water in Iran is supplied through other means, including dams, reservoirs, and pipelines that reach across the country.
As of 2024, Iran’s annual water withdrawal is at 1048 m3 per capita, and the annual wastewater generation is at 48.18 m3 per capita. With few freshwater sources, people in this country rely on drinking water companies like Damavand Mineral (DMVN1).
13. Brazil
Annual Water Waste Production: 50.39 m3 Per Capita
Brazil, with a population of over 217 million, produces wastewater of 50.39 m3 per capita. As of the latest report available from 2017, Brazil had a water withdrawal of 319 m3 per capita. Brazil is a country with lots of water treatment companies, such as Sabeps (SBSP3:BVMF), which was the leading company in the sector in 2021, with a net revenue of over $4 billion.
12. Denmark
Annual Wastewater Production: 52.57 m3 per capita
Denmark, known for its waterways and incredible scenery, is home to 5.8 million people. Denmark primarily consumes water from underground aquifers. Consequently, the country has reliable freshwater and a withdrawal rate of 41 m3 per capita. The Danish population consumes an astonishing 1 billion m3 of water annually, but also wastes 52.57 m3 of water per capita. Greater Copenhagen Utility (HOFOR) is the largest freshwater supply company in Denmark.
11. Australia
Annual Water Waste Production: 55.81 m3 Per Capita
Australia, the sixth-largest country in the world, has a population of over 26 million. While it withdraws 539 m3 per capita annually, it has an annual water waste of just 55.81 m3 per capita. Water markets in Australia have an estimated turnover of $1–7 billion annually.
To further meet the demand for wastewater treatment, the largest water treatment company in Australia, Sydney Water, invested $1.3 billion in 2022-23 in building an Advanced Water Recycling Centre to service growth near the Western Sydney International Airport.
10. France
Annual Water Waste Production: 66 m3 Per Capita
France, the largest country in the Western part of Europe, has a population of almost 65 million people. The annual water withdrawal per capita is 402.49 m3. In 2023, France was facing a water crisis, with more than two-thirds of the natural groundwater reserves being below normal levels. Now, they are out of the crisis, but the restrictions are very much on from the government.
9. Russia
Annual Wastewater Production: 85.36 m3 per capita
Russia is known for its gorgeous architecture, literature, and culture. With a population of over 144 million, Russia makes up 1.8% of the world's population. It is also the largest country in the world by land. The total annual freshwater withdrawal of the country is at 535 m3 per capita.
Also, Russians consume around 24.9 billion m3 of water yearly; most of it consists of surface and groundwater. On the other hand, the annual wastewater production for Russia is 85.65 m3 per capita, making it one of the countries wasting the most water.
8. Germany
Annual Water Waste Production: 92 m3 Per Capita
Next on the list, we have Germany. The country has a population of around 83 million people and annually withdraws 339.95 m3 per capita. It produces an annual water waste of 92 m3 per capita. Top water treatment companies like Ecolab Inc (NYSE: ECL) and Kemira Oyj (HEL: KEMIRA) have their fair share in treating wastewater in Germany.
7. United Kingdom
Annual Water Waste Production: 92 m3 Per Capita
The United Kingdom, comprising England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, has a total population of around 68 million. Statista-gathered data of 2022 shows an average person in England and Wales used 146 liters per day. The annual water waste production is 92 m3 per capita. Southern Water and Severn Trent plc are one of the leading companies collecting and treating wastewater in the UK.
6. Egypt
Annual Water Waste Production: 121.77 m3 Per Capita
Egypt, a country situated in the northeastern corner of Africa, has a population of 109.3 million. The country majorly relies on the Nile River for its water withdrawal, which is annually 757.32 m3 per capita. It has an annual water waste production of 121.77 m3 per capita. According to a report, in 2021-22, 484 wastewater treatment stations in Egypt treated 5,234 million m3 of wastewater. However, compared to the preceding year, 2020-21, the sewage treatment stations increased by only nine stations and treated 0.5 million m3 of wastewater.
