A renovation and expansion to help 84,000 people – and one fjord
When conditions change, we have to adjust. Fuglevik by the Oslo Fjord is a place in Moss Municipality, 60 kilometres south of Oslo. The Fuglevik wastewater treatment plant was inaugurated in 1993, and since then, the population has grown and the environmental requirements for wastewater have become stricter and more detailed.
To be able to handle the wastewater safely, satisfactorily and meet the requirements for effluent from waste water treatment plants based on new EU and Norwegian directives, the Fuglevik plant is undergoing a universal renovation.
Renowned as one of Scandinavia’s natural wonders, the 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 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.
The solution to the problem is not one big change, rather a series of initiatives where renovating and renewing the wastewater treatment plants in the region is one of the things being done to help better the fjord’s aquatic environment.
If you want to join one of Norway’s biggest and most versatile teams working with wastewater, drainage and climate adaptation, check out these open positions:
Joining forces to create a future-proof solution
When Fuglevik Wastewater Treatment Plant was inaugurated in 1993, it was designed to treat wastewater from approximately 50,000 people. The plant owner is MOVAR, a public company owned by the municipalities of Moss, Vestby, Råde and Våler.
Following an increase in population and new environmental requirements for wastewater, especially regarding nitrogen removal, the owner decided to convert it to a state-of-the-art water treatment facility that can serve as a reference for similar projects.
Sustainability at the core
The new Fuglevik Wastewater Treatment Plant will be dimensioned to treat wastewater from around 84,000 people. Naturally, the plant will live up to the new environmental requirements for treated wastewater, and, furthermore, it is breaking new ground in reducing the use of chemicals and increasing resource recovery.
The construction project is intended to have the smallest possible carbon footprint and strives to incorporate technology and processes that promote low energy consumption and enable the utilisation of wastewater resources.
A life cycle analysis was carried out to assess 15 different technologies for treatment methods, providing deep insights into the methods that had the lowest economic, societal and environmental footprint. As for the renovation itself, the goal is to reuse building materials with a high carbon footprint in the project.
A long lifespan is also sustainability
“We are thinking about everything, really. It is sustainable to ensure that the building has a long lifespan, and the choice of materials is important. Concrete is carbon-heavy but offers high durability; should we opt for a wooden or steel structure instead? Choosing a treatment technology for removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus that involves less use of chemicals has a vast impact on the carbon emissions during the plant's lifespan, and if we can reduce the amount of sludge from a plant, we will also reduce transportation, which, in turn, affects the carbon footprint and so on.”
Erik Johannessen, PhD, Design Manager at COWI.
Facts about the project
- Location: Fuglevik, 60 km south of Oslo.
- Duration: 2020-2029.
- Established: Original treatment plant put into operation in 1993.
- Capacity: Designed to treat wastewater from approximately 84,000 people and treats between 4.8 and 5.0 million m³ of water annually.
- Owner: MOVAR IKS, owned by the municipalities of Moss, Vestby, Råde and Våler.
- COWI engagement: Process, building and construction engineering; mechanical engineering; HVAC; fire safety; HSE; environment; sustainability; geotechnical engineering; electrical and automation; water and sewage; landscape architecture; and architecture.
- Fun fact: The outlet pipe discharges the treated wastewater 500 metres offshore, at a depth of 50 metres in the Oslo Fjord.
I work inside the walls of the water treatment plant – my mission is to help save the fjord.
COWI has always worked with nitrogen removal, primarily in the inner Oslo Fjord in a Norwegian context but also beyond Norway’s borders. This gives us an advantage and allows me to contribute to saving the Oslo Fjord.
Gorm Walter Høili Pettersen
Master of Science in water and wastewater
Your next project
… could also be working on existing and new wastewater plants to make sure they are renovated, modernised and live up to future regulations. Are you ready to make a difference?
Headquarters
COWI A/S
Parallelvej 2
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Denmark
Shortcuts
Sustainability and governance
Terms of use