# Water industry

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Drinking and wastewater services

"Water utility" redirects here. For hot water utilities, see [district heating](/source/District_heating).

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[Drinking water](/source/Drinking_water)

The **water industry** provides [drinking water](/source/Drinking_water)[1] and [wastewater](/source/Wastewater) services (including [sewage treatment](/source/Sewage_treatment)) to residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of [the economy](/source/The_economy). Typically, [public utilities](/source/Public_utility) operate [water supply networks](/source/Water_supply_network). The [water](/source/Water) industry does not include manufacturers and suppliers of [bottled water](/source/Bottled_water), which is part of the beverage production and belongs to the [food sector](/source/Food_sector).

The water industry includes [water engineering](/source/Water_engineering), operations, water and wastewater plant construction, equipment supply and specialist water treatment chemicals, among others.

The water industry is at the service of other industries, e.g. of the food sector which produces beverages such as bottled water.[2]

## Organizational structure

There are a variety of organizational structures for the water industry, with countries usually having one dominant traditional structure, which usually changes only gradually over time.[3]

### Ownership of water infrastructure and operations

- [local government](/source/Local_government) – the most usual structure worldwide, [public utility](/source/Public_utility)

- [national government](/source/Central_government) – in many developing countries, especially smaller ones

- [private ownership](/source/Private_ownership) – more common in the developed world, see for example [Water privatisation in England and Wales](/source/Water_privatisation_in_England_and_Wales)

- [co-operative](/source/Co-operative) ownership and related NGO structures, public utility

### Operations

- local government operating the system through a municipal department, municipal company, or inter-municipal company

- local government [outsources](/source/Outsourcing) operations to [private sector](/source/Private_sector), i.e. [private water operators](/source/Private_water_operators)

- national government operations

- private water operators own the system - [BOTs](/source/Build-Operate-Transfer) – private sector building parts of a water system (such as a [wastewater treatment plant](/source/Wastewater_treatment_plant)) and operating it for an agreed period before transferring to [public sector](/source/Public_sector) ownership and operation.

- cooperation and NGO operators

### Functions

- Integrated water system ([water supply](/source/Water_supply), [sewerage](/source/Sewerage) (sanitation) system, and wastewater treatment)

- Separation by function (e.g. [Dutch](/source/Netherlands) system where sewerage run by city, water supply by municipal or [provincial](/source/Province) companies, and water treatment by [water boards](/source/Water_boards)), though some Water Supply Companies have [merged](/source/Mergers_and_acquisitions) beyond municipal or provincial borders.

- Other separation (e.g. [Munich](/source/Munich), separated into three companies for bulk water supply, water and wastewater network operations, and retail)

## Standards

[Water quality](/source/Water_quality) standards and environmental standards relating to wastewater are usually set by national bodies.

- In England, the [Drinking Water Inspectorate](/source/Drinking_Water_Inspectorate) and the [Environment Agency](/source/Environment_Agency).

- In the United States, drinking water standards for [public water systems](/source/Public_water_system) are set by the [United States Environmental Protection Agency](/source/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency) (EPA) pursuant to the [Safe Drinking Water Act](/source/Safe_Drinking_Water_Act).[4] EPA issues [water pollution](/source/Water_pollution) control standards in conjunction with state environmental agencies, pursuant to the [Clean Water Act](/source/Clean_Water_Act).[5]

- For countries within the European Union, water-related [European Union directives](/source/European_Union_directive) are important for [water resource](/source/Water_resource) management and environmental and water quality standards. Key directives include the [Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive](/source/Urban_Waste_Water_Treatment_Directive) 1992 requiring most towns and cities to treat their wastewater to specified standards, and the [Water Framework Directive](/source/Water_Framework_Directive) 2000, which requires water resource plans based on river basins, including public participation based on [Aarhus Convention](/source/Aarhus_Convention) principles.[6]

- International Standards ([ISO](/source/International_Organization_for_Standardization)) on water service management and assessment are under preparation within Technical Committee ISO/TC 224.

## Global companies

Using available data only, and during 2009–2010, the ten largest water companies active globally were (largest first):[7] [Veolia Environnement](/source/Veolia_Environnement) (France), [Suez Environnement](/source/Suez_Environnement) (France), [ITT Corporation](/source/ITT_Corporation) (US), [United Utilities](/source/United_Utilities) (UK), [Severn Trent](/source/Severn_Trent) (UK), [Thames Water](/source/Thames_Water) (UK), [American Water Works Company](/source/American_Water_Works_Company) (US), [GE Water](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GE_Water&action=edit&redlink=1) (US), [Kurita Water Industries](/source/Kurita_Water_Industries) (Japan), [Nalco Water](/source/Nalco_Water) (US).

## See also

- [American Water Works Association](/source/American_Water_Works_Association) – North American industry and standards association for drinking water

- [Imagine H2O](/source/Imagine_H2O) – International accelerator and organization for water technology startups

- [Millennium Development Goals](/source/Millennium_Development_Goals) – goal 7 of the MDGs aimed to "reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water"

- [National Rural Water Association](/source/National_Rural_Water_Association) – Industry association supporting small and rural water and wastewater utilities in the United States.

- [Water Environment Federation](/source/Water_Environment_Federation) – Professional association for ambient water quality research and pollution control

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Information about Public Water Systems"](https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/information-about-public-water-systems). 21 September 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["About Bottled Water Safety"](https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/about/about-bottled-water-safety.html). *cdc.gov*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Characteristics of well - performing public water utilities"](https://ppp.worldbank.org/public-private-partnership/sites/default/files/2024-09/Workingnote9.pdf) (PDF). *ppp.worldbank.org*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** United States. Safe Drinking Water Act. [Pub. L.](/source/Act_of_Congress#Public_law,_private_law,_designation) [93–523](https://uslaw.link/citation/us-law/public/93/523); 88 [Stat.](/source/United_States_Statutes_at_Large) [1660](https://legislink.org/us/stat-88-1660); [42 U.S.C.](/source/Title_42_of_the_United_States_Code) [§ 300f](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/300f) *et seq.* Approved 1974-12-16.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** United States. Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. [Pub. L.](/source/Act_of_Congress#Public_law,_private_law,_designation) [92–500](https://uslaw.link/citation/us-law/public/92/500) Approved 1972-10-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050408055840/http://www.watertime.net/Docs/WP1/D7_Int_Context_final-revb.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.watertime.net/Docs/WP1/D7_Int_Context_final-revb.pdf) (PDF) on 2005-04-08. Retrieved 2004-12-29.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title)) Watertime - the international context. Section 2

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["World's 10 Largest Water Companies"](https://etcgroup.org/content/worlds-10-largest-water-companies#:~:text=World%27s%2010%20Largest%20Water%20Companies%20%20%20,%20%203%2C894%20%206%20more%20rows%20). *etcgroup.org [ETC Group](/source/ETC_Group_(eco-justice))*. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 6 June 2021.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

## External links

- Truth from the Tap "Water Industry Facts" [Water Industry Facts - Truth from the Tap](http://truthfromthetap.com/water-industry-facts/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201101030631/https://truthfromthetap.com/water-industry-facts/) 2020-11-01 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- Lowi, Alvin Jr. [Avoiding the Grid: Technology and the Decentralization of Water](https://web.archive.org/web/20031009074755/http://lsb.scu.edu/~dklein/Half_Life/avoiding.pdf)

- [WaterWorld Magazine (see Water & Wastewater Industry Report e-newsletter)](https://seaclean.no/tro-reagent-kit)

- [Global Water Intelligence](http://www.globalwaterintel.com/)

- [Industrial WaterWorld](http://www.pennnet.com/articles/print_toc.cfm?Section=ARTCL&p=64)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

- [Water & Wastewater International](http://www.pennnet.com/articles/print_toc.cfm?Section=ARTCL&p=20)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

- [Water Procurement Portal](http://www.h2bid.com)

- [National Association of Clean Water Agencies](http://www.nacwa.org))

- [Industrial Doctorate Centre for the Water Sector](http://www.stream-idc.net)

- ["Water Industry Journal"](https://www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk/).

v t e Major industries by economic sector Primary sector or ′Natural sector′ (raw materials) Biotic Agriculture Arable farming Cereals Legumes Vegetables Fiber crops Oilseeds Sugar Tobacco Permanent crops Apples et al. Berries Citrus Stone fruits Tropical fruit Viticulture Cocoa Coffee Tea Nuts Olives Medicinal plants Spices Horticulture Flowers Seeds Animal husbandry Beef cattle Dairy farming Fur farming Horses Other livestock Pig Wool Poultry Beekeeping Cochineal Shellac Silk Hunting Fur trapping Forestry Silviculture Bamboo Logging Firewood Rattan Tree tapping Frankincense Gum arabic Gutta-percha Maple syrup Mastic Natural rubber Palm sugar, syrup, & wine Pine resin Wild mushrooms Fungiculture Truffles Aquatic Fishing Anchovies Herring Sardines Cod Haddock Pollock Mackerel Shark Swordfish Tuna Crabs Lobsters Sea urchins Squid Whaling Aquaculture Carp Catfish Tilapia Abalone Mussels Oysters Pearls Microalgae Seaweed Both Clams Sea cucumbers Scallops Salmon Shrimp Geological Fossil fuels Coal Peat Natural gas Oil shale Petroleum Tar sands Mining of ores Aluminum Copper Iron Gold Silver Palladium Platinum Lithium Rare-earth metals Uranium Other minerals Gemstones Phosphorus Potash Salt Sulfur Quarrying Gravel Sand Chalk Clay Gypsum Limestone Dimension stone Granite Marble Secondary sector or ′Industrial sector′ (goods manufacturing) Manufacturing Light industry Food Animal feed Baking Canning Dairy products Flour Meat Prepared Preserved Sweets Vegetable oils Beverages Beer Bottled water Liquor Soft drinks Wine Textiles Carding Dyeing Prints Spinning Weaving Carpets Lace Linens Rope Clothing Accessories Dressmaking Furs Hatmaking Sewing Shoemaking Tailoring Printing Bookbinding Embossing Engraving Secure Typesetting Media reproduction Cassette tapes Phonographs Optical discs Metal fabrication Boilermaking Builders' & household hardware Cutlery Gunsmithing Locksmithing Machining Other smithing Powder metallurgy Prefabrication Surface finishing Other fabrication 3D printing Blow molding Drawing Extrusion Glassblowing Injection moulding Pottery Sintering Stonemasonry Woodworking Furniture Other goods Baggage Bicycles Jewellery Medical supplies Musical instruments Office supplies Outdoors & sports equipment Personal protective equipment Toys Electrical & optical Electronics Components Circuit boards Semiconductors Computers Computer systems Parts & peripherals Blank storage media Communications equipment Mobile phones Network infrastructure Consumer electronics Televisions Video game consoles Instrumentation Clocks and watches GPS devices Scientific instruments Medical imaging systems Optical instruments Cameras Gun & spotting scopes Laser construction Lens grinding Microscopes Telescopes Electrical equipment Batteries Electrical & fiber optic cables Electric lighting Electric motors Home appliances Transformers Chemicals Coal & oil refining Bitumen Coke Diesel fuel Fuel oil Gasoline Jet fuel Kerosene Mineral oil Paraffin wax Petrochemicals Petroleum jelly Propane Synthetic oil Tar Commodity chemicals Fertilizers Industrial gases Pigments Pure elements Speciality chemicals Adhesives Agrochemicals Aroma compounds Cleaning products Cosmetics Explosives Fireworks Paints & inks Perfumes Soap Toiletries Fine chemicals Pharmaceuticals Antibiotics Blood products Chemical & hormonal contraceptives Generic drugs Illegal drugs Supplements Vaccines Materials Leather Liming & deliming Tanning Currying & oiling Wood Drying Sawmilling Engineered Lumber Composite Paper Sizing Cardboard Pulp Tissue Rubber Tires Vulcanized rubber Plastics Commodity Engineered Specialty Pellets Synthetic fibers Thermoplastics & thermosets Glass Borosilicate Fused quartz Soda-lime Float glass Glass fiber Glass wool & fiberglass Safety glass Ceramics Brick Earthenware Porcelain Refractory Tile Cement Mortar Plaster Ready-mix concrete Other mineral Abrasives Carbon fibers & advanced materials Mineral wool Synthetic gems Metal refining Iron Aluminum Copper Alloys Steel Formed metal Rolled Forged Cast metal Heavy industry Machinery Conveyors Heavy Hydraulic Machine tools Power & wind turbines Automobiles Other heavy vehicles Aerospace & space Rail vehicles Ships & offshore platforms Weapons Utilities Power Electric Gas distribution Renewable Water Sewage Waste management Collection Dumping Hazardous Recycling Remediation Telecom networks Cable TV Internet Mobile Satellite Telephone Construction Buildings Commercial Industrial Residential Civil engineering Bridges Railways Roads Tunnels Canals Dams Dredging Harbors Specialty trades Cabinetry Demolition Electrical wiring Elevators HVAC Painting and decorating Plumbing Site preparation Tertiary sector or ′Service sector′ (services) Sales Retail Car dealership Consumer goods General store Grocery store Department store Mail order E-commerce Online shopping Specialty store Wholesale Auction Brokerage Distribution Transport & Storage Cargo Air cargo Intermodal Mail Moving company Rail Trucking Passenger transport Airlines Car rentals Passenger rail Ridesharing Taxis Warehousing Self storage Hospitality Food service Drink service Cafés Catering Fast food Food delivery Restaurants Teahouses Hotels Asset management Financial services Banking Credit Financial advice Holding company Money transfer Payment cards Risk management Securities Insurance Health Life Pension funding Property Reinsurance Real estate Brokerage Property management Professional Accounting Assurance Audit Bookkeeping Tax advice Architecture & engineering Inspection Surveying Physical, product, & system testing Design Fashion Interior Product Legal services Management Consulting Public relations Marketing Advertising Creative Language Research and development Basic research Healthcare Medicine Dentist offices Hospitals Nursing Residential care Veterinary medicine Entertainment & leisure Audio-visual Film Music Video games Broadcasting News Radio Television Sport Travel Business travel Cruise lines Tourism Gambling Online Venues Arcades Amusement parks Fairgrounds Nightclubs Tabletop games Publishing & Mass media Written Books Periodicals Software Internet Hosting Social networks Streaming Websites Education Primary Secondary Tertiary Vocational school University Testing Tutoring Other Administrative Customer service Leasing Renting Staffing Private investigation & security Maintenance Janitors Landscaping Repairs Personal services Beauty Dry cleaning Funeral Maid service Pet care Sex Poverty Related Classification standards Production-based ANZSIC ISIC NACE NAICS SIC UKSIC Market-based GICS ICB TRBC Other Aftermarket Generic OEM Inputs & outputs Externalities Community Crime Culture Pollution Well-being Funding Goods Commodities Final Intermediate Raw material Innovation Primary inputs Labor Natural resources Physical capital Services Technology Organization Centralization Cartel Conglomerate Horizontal integration Mergers and acquisitions Monopoly Monopsony Vertical integration Decentralization Enforced breakup Freelancing Homesteading Outsourcing Putting-out system Spinning-off Temporary work Ownership Cooperative Joint-stock company Nationalization Nonprofit organization Partnership Privatization Sole proprietorship State-owned enterprise Category Outline

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Water](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Water)
- [Companies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Companies)
- [Business and economics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Business_and_economics)

Authority control databases: National Israel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Water industry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_industry) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_industry?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.