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US Consumer Water Purification and Air Cleaning Systems Market

US demand to grow 5.6% annually through 2012

Demand for consumer water purification and air cleaning systems is projected to increase 5.6 percent per year to $1.5 billion in 2012. Gains will be driven by consumer concerns about the quality of the air and water in the home, and greater awareness of the healthful and aesthetic benefits of these systems. Additionally, existing owners of purification systems are continuing to upgrade to higher value versions with specialty features such as performance indicators and multiple treatment technologies. The aftermarket plays an important role in the industry with sales of replacement filters and membranes forecast to reach $2.7 billion in 2012. Gains will be driven by rising penetration rates as well as marketing efforts and performance indicators aimed at improving replacement compliance.

Point-of-use systems to outgain whole house types

In 2007, water purification and air cleaning system demand was dominated by equipment intended for use in a limited area of the house. Point-of-use (POU) water purification systems, which are installed at a single outlet, had the larger share of demand for water systems in 2007. Similarly, portable air cleaners, which are designed to treat the air in a single room, accounted for the larger share of sales of air cleaners in 2007. Both POU water purification systems and portable air cleaners are expected to post faster growth through 2012 compared to their whole-house counterparts, benefitting from advantages such as lower initial costs, a wider range of available purification technologies, more user-friendly operation and, in most cases, do-ityourself installation. Additionally, some consumers purchase more than one POU water system or portable air cleaner for use in a single home.

Water purification systems that feature conventional filtration media accounted for the majority of demand for water systems in 2007, with 76 percent of sales value. However, faster growth will be registered by higher value reverse osmosis and distillation systems, although from significantly smaller bases. These systems can process a broader range of contaminants compared to conventional filters. In general, growth is largely dependent on the quality -- or the perceived quality -- of local tap water supplies. Demand for water purification systems will also benefit from a trend to switch away from bottled water and toward treated tap water.

Among air cleaners, conventional filtration systems accounted for the largest share of value demand with 47 percent in 2007, benefitting from thorough air cleaning and minimal to no ozone production. However, electrostatic air cleaners are projected to achieve slightly faster gains through 2012 because they offer improved efficiency, quieter functioning and a low operational cost.