A report from BCC Research said the U.S. market for advanced drinking water technologies was estimated to be about $1.3 billion in 2006 and is expected to grow at a combined average annual rate of 10.7 percent through 2011 to more than $2.1 billion. These technologies include membrane filtration, ozone disinfection, UV irradiation and novel oxidation processes.

Combined, membrane treatment processes for municipal drinking water are valued at $1 billion in 2006, with a predictedcontinued growth rate of 10.3 percent. The UV disinfection market, valued at $29.2 million, should experience considerable growth in the forecast period.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, all 50 states and Puerto Rico invested nearly $9.5 billion in drinking water improvements from 1996 to 2005.

In their 2005 annual report, The Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association reported market growth in the industry of at least 5 percent with 78 percent of WWEMA manufacturers seeing and projecting 10 percent growth.

These increases are primarily in the domestic market with international sales, as a whole, remaining fairly flat.