Henrisksdal: Removing micropollutants from wastewater
Together with Ramboll and Holinger, Stockholm Vatten is undertaking a crucial project to strengthen its wastewater treatment capabilities, driven by the new EU Urban Wastewater Directive. This directive mandates wastewater treatment plants above a certain size to implement micropollutant removal by 2033-2045. Recognising the importance of this initiative, Stockholm Vatten aims to be one of the first large wastewater treatment plants in Sweden to meet these requirements by the end of 2033.
Ramboll will be leading the project with local water treatment experts with support from Holinger, providing expertise from their many full-scale projects in Switzerland.
The primary objective of the Henriksdal pre study project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of various advanced treatment technologies. This includes assessing their performance, footprint in terms of energy and chemical consumption, waste products, and overall costs. The pre study aims to provide a solid foundation for deciding which technology to adopt for micropollutant removal, and to facilitate further design and implementation.
One significant challenge is the underground location of the Henriksdal plant. The plant is built into a mountain with residential buildings built on top, leaving little space for expansion and thus a risk of high excavation costs. Therefore, the project plans to utilise existing spaces and structures as much as possible. Three advanced treatment solutions will be developed and compared using multi-criteria analysis, considering factors such as cost (capital expenditures and operating expenses), sustainability, carbon footprint, logistics, and operational aspects.
“We need to make wise decisions on how to reduce pollution of our waters with as low consumption of fossil resources and energy as possible. I am pleased we are including sustainability indicators including carbon footprint in the comparison between alternative solutions, since these treatment technologies have an environmental impact.”
Micropollutants pose a significant environmental challenge worldwide, and the new EU directive highlights the urgent need to address this problem. Although it is expensive to remove micropollutants, doing so benefits water quality and helps drive economic growth.
With this project, Ramboll, Holinger and Stockholm Vatten showcase advanced treatment in a complex setting, highlighting effective treatment technologies and collaborative project methodologies in a Nordic context. Through close collaboration between the partners, along with parallel pilot trials, the project tackles challenges related to the existing plant's structure and the uncertainties in the legal framework for micropollutant removal. The Henriksdal project results will thus provide valuable insights into treatment technologies, design parameters, and project methodologies for future projects.
Water & Wastewater Treatment and Circularity
Providing world-leading sustainable advanced water treatment, all disciplines related to wastewater treatment as well as innovative resource recovery from wastewater