From flush to the fjord

Restoring the health of the Oslo Fjord

Renowned as one of Scandinavia’s natural wonders, the impressive Oslo Fjord is 107 km long and adorned with numerous islands and towns. The fjord’s surrounding area is home to around 1.6 million people.

However, the Oslo Fjord has been affected by pollution from agriculture, sewage and industry. As a result, the condition of the fjord has been deteriorating due to an excessive supply of nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants.

To help improve the aquatic environment of the Oslo Fjord, MOVAR, a public company owned by the municipalities of Moss, Vestby, Råde and Våler, decided to convert the Fuglevik Wastewater Treatment Plant into a state-of-the-art water treatment facility that can serve as a reference for similar projects.

84,000 flushes, one solution

The new Fuglevik Wastewater Treatment Plant will be dimensioned to treat wastewater from around 84,000 people residing in the four municipalities.

COWI provides consultancy and design services for a process plant for water treatment, sludge treatment and potential gas management.

Making every resource count

MOVAR’s overarching vision is to offer "future-oriented solutions in the service of the environment and society". The construction project aims for the smallest possible carbon footprint.

In addition, MOVAR strives to incorporate technology and processes that promote low energy consumption and enable the utilisation of resources in wastewater.

“This contributes to effective purification. If possible, we also want to add societal value to the facility, for example, by using it for education, informational work and visitor experiences,” Sundby continues. 

Carbon-conscious by design

The aim is to reuse building materials with a high carbon footprint in the project.

“Concrete is typically such a building material. It is also sustainable to ensure that the building has a long lifespan. The choice of materials, including CO₂ emissions, is crucial. Should we have a timber or steel structure? If we can reduce the amount of sludge from a plant, its transportation will also be reduced, which affects the CO₂ footprint. By minimising chemical usage, we can avoid transporting them and thereby reduce the overall footprint,” explains Erik Johannesen, Design Manager at COWI.

Life cycle assessments are used to evaluate 15 different treatment technologies to identify the option that has the fewest climate and environmental consequences.

A life cycle assessment is a method used to create a comprehensive picture of the overall environmental impact of a product, from raw material extraction to production, distribution and waste management. 

From waste to resource

Phosphorus is an essential element and a globally scarce resource that can be recovered from the sludge generated during wastewater treatment. This valuable substance is used in fertilizers for agriculture. Additionally, the sludge can be used to produce biogas, which can be utilised internally in the treatment plant, reducing electricity consumption.

Heat, electricity, nitrogen and biochar are among the resources that a treatment plant can produce. By prioritising treatment processes that enable resource recovery, MOVAR actively contributes to the circular economy.

Facts about Fuglevik Wastewater Treatment Plant:

•    Put into operation in 1993. 
•    Designed to treat wastewater from approximately 50,000 people. 
•    Annually treats between 4.8 and 5.0 million m³ of water. 
•    Part of MOVAR IKS, owned by the municipalities of Moss, Vestby, Råde and Våler. 
•    Wastewater is transferred from the sewer network in Moss Municipality via gravity pipes to the treatment plant. 
•    The outlet pipe discharges the treated wastewater 500 metres offshore, at a depth of 50 metres in the Oslo Fjord.