Municipal wastewater treatment and its benefits
Time: circa 8 hours
Sweden has a long history of good quality municipal waste water treatment. As a result of stringent laws, technology was developed to give the healthy waters that surronds Stockholm today.
Program
Sjöstadsverket tests new treatment methods
A sewage treatment plant was built as part of the Hammarby Sjöstad project to test new treatment processes and technology. The Royal Institute of Technology and the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) took over Sjöstadsverket in 2007 to turn it into a centre for innovative municipal water treatment. It will contribute to demonstrating Swedish water and environmental knowhow through research. The plant will strengthen development in the industry and improve the prospects for Swedish exports in water and environmental technology.
Sjöstadsverket is a very successful example of how innovative investments can lead to great progress which in the longer will benefit the whole of society.
Positive effects on environment and economy
• Improved prospects of raising biogas production and reducing phosphorus emissions biologically by completely separating wastewater from households from surface and drain water.
• Lower levels of heavy metals in the sludge, since surface water is treated separately. This improves the prospects of returning the sludge to the ecocycle.
• The plant recycles nitrogen as effectively as urine separation in the home.
• The project enabled smaller and innovative companies to test innovative solutions.
Stockholm Waterfront - by dragonboat
It is no coincidence that Stockholm is called Venice of the North - one third of the inner city consists of water. Experience the Stockholm waterfront by a dragonboat tour around the island Reimersholme. A dragon boat is a giant canoe powered by 10-20 paddlers lead by a drummer.
Municipal wastewater treatment in Sweden
How did Sweden manage to attain one of the most well-developed and eco balanced wastewater treatments in the world? How is this development secured? What is the status today and how will the handling of wastewater develop in the future?
Svenskt Vatten, The Swedish Water & Wastewater Association (SWWA), explains the relationship between legislation, policies, education, research and development within the field of wastewater treatment, both from a historical point of view and in to the future.