Innovation in water-related technologies

This publication on patenting trends in water technologies aims to shed light on the latest developments, along with the key actors and contributors in water-related innovation. By focusing on areas such as potable water harvesting, wastewater and sludge treatment, efficient water treatment and utilisation, and protection against water-related hazards, the study seeks to provide evidence on trends and patterns in water technology development and support the EU's efforts to achieve sustainable water management and conservation goals.
This study is structured as follows: section 3 discusses the societal and economic aspects of water and sets out a methodology to study trends in water-related technologies based on patent data. Section 4 provides an overview of the main patenting trends in water-related technologies, its geographic distribution and its main contributors, while section 5 presents further in-depth analysis of individual water-related technologies.