Resource efficient wastewater systems

In this research field we work with small on-site wastewater systems as well as with the municipal wastewater system and its centralisation/decentralisation.

Master’s thesis about liquid composting of blackwater in Hölö, Södertälje

Charlotta Jernå has studied Natural Resource Engineering, specializing in environment and water at Luleå University of Technology. She has now published her Master’s thesis. The study aimed to evaluate the liquid compost in Södertälje, which is part of the municipality's nutrient recirculation syste...

Brenda Vidal is defending her dissertation in Urban Engineering

21 Oct. 2022 10:00 – 12:00 , E632:

Small sanitation systems – Treatment efficiency, sustainability and implementation

Final conference in ONSITE

The ONSITE project carried out by Luleå University of Technology / Stormwater&Sewers in cooperation with the University of Oulu and the Finnish Environment Institute held its final conference on 29 March 2022, in digital form

New report: Governance of on-site sanitation in Finland, Sweden and Norway

How are small sewers handled in Sweden, Norway and Finland? A new report compares how the three countries proceed with testing and supervision.

Going circular with small sanitation systems

25 Mar. 2022 11:30 – 12:15 , Vetenskapens hus or digitally:

To save the Earth's resources and counteract global warming, we need to become better at taking advantage of the resources available in our wastewater.

Webinar on On-Site Wastewater Treatment in Cold Climate

29 Mar. 2022 12:00 – 14:30 , On-line:

Arranged by University of Oulu (Finland), Luleå University of Technology (Sweden) and the Finnish Environment Institute within the project "ON-SITE - Small-scale wastewater treatment systems:

New report: Wastewater flows from households with individual sewers

This report presents the results of a study of flows to mini-treatment plants that were financed by the Swedish Maritime Administration through grants. 1:11 Measures for the marine and aquatic environment.

Micropollutant spread from wastewater drainage fields

How can nature-based solutions be used to treat wastewater and what is their environmental impact? These are questions Rasmus Klapp is trying to answer with his research

Grab sampling from on-site wastewater treatment facilities: variability and correlations (2019-2022)

In this project we evaluate results from grab sampling of package plants to study the variability among grab samples as well as potential correlations between different parameters. The project is funded by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the European Regional Development Fund and...

New report: Ground-based treatment - design, function and assessment criteria for supervision

This report summarizes the results of the project Ground-based treatment - design, function and assessment criteria for supervision financed by the Swedish Maritime Administration through appropriation 1:11 Measures for the marine and aquatic environment.

A pilot plant with reed beds is being built in Luleå municipality

Within the framework of a Formas project at Urban Water Engineering, LTU, the possibilities of using wetland systems for small rural areas in subarctic climate are investigated. Stormwater&Sewers will assess the function and treatment potential of the reed beds.

In the news: Corona rendering wastewater treatment in the summer cottage an environmental culprit?

The increased number of vacation in the summer cottage this year might cause problems for many older on-site wastewater treatment plants. Inga Herrmann, researcher at LTU within resource efficient sewage systems, explains how the sewer facilities in the summer cottage can be rendered more economical...

In the media: New "VA-guiden" (Water Guide) expert

Inga Herrmann has been appointed new member of the Water Guide's expert panel for small wastewater systems. "Ask the expert" is part of the Water Guide's support for those working with small-scale wastewater systems at public agencies. The editors make the question anonymous and distribute it to the...

High pressure on on-site wastewater systems this corona summer

Many will spend this year's vacation in a summer house to avoid the ravages of the coronavirus. This, in turn, will increase the pressure on on-site wastewater facilities that belong to a summer house. Researcher Inga Herrmann at Luleå University of Technology has studied these wastewater systems a ...

New staff

Mashreki Sami joined Luleå University of Technology on 17th of February 2020 as a PhD student in Urban Water Engineering

Inga Herrmann has been granted a new project

Inga Herrmann, Stormwater&Sewers has been granted a new project, "From gray to blue-green: Decentralized purification of greywater for use in blue-green urban environments" financed by is funded by The Swedish Research Council (Formas) and the water utility NSVA.

Microplastics course and workshop in Oulu - Finland

From 3 to 5th December, the PhD students Katharina Lange and Brenda Vidal, Stormwater&Sewers/Luleå University of Technology, participated in a workshop and course about microplastics titled “Development and challenges related to sampling, analysis, removal and environmental impact assessment of micr...

The Annual Academic Ceremony 2019

On Saturday 9th of November, the annual graduation ceremony took place at Luleå University of Technology. Urban Water Engineering was represented by two people.

New report on the formation of sludge and the composition of biofilm in wastewater drain fields

The most common methods for on-site treatment of domestic wastewater are soil-based methods such as drainfields. In previous municipal projects, the occurrence of sludge in different parts of such treatment facilities has been observed.

In the media: World Toilet Day was highlighted in Norrtälje

Brenda Vidal, from Luleå University of Technology, talked about her study “Small Flexible Sewage Solutions: Adapting to a Changing World” which is a multi-criteria analysis where different types of small sewerage systems have been set in relation to different sustainability criteria and scenarios.

Small on-site sanitation systems - how sustainable are they?

Small on-site sanitation systems emit wastewater locally, which is why it is important that the systems meet the requirements for the release of organic material and nutrients and also meet the requirements for infection protection. Often, unfortunately, the small systems do not work as they should,...

Study on nutrient recovery from urine to agriculture in Northern Sweden

In the North of Sweden, nutrient recovery from wastewater fractions is still not practised. In this study, we assessed the potential of reuse of nutrients from urine to agriculture in theNorth of Sweden in terms of quantity and environmental impact of collecting, treating and spreading urine-based f...

Research visit to Melbourne, Australien

December 2018 to March 2019 Joel Lönnqvist, PhD candidate in Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology, was on a study visit to the University of Melbourne, Australia, for two months to take part in the world-class research on green roofs conducted at the School of Ecosystems and For...

ON-SITE - new European and regional development project

In December 2018, the ON-SITE project was granted funding by the European Regional Development Fund and Region Norrbotten. The project partners are Luleå University of Technology, the University of Oulu and the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE.

Sustainability and treatment efficiency of on-site sanitation systems

The PhD student Brenda Vidal presented her Licentiate thesis on December the 19th with the title “On-site Sanitation Systems – An Integrated Assessment of Treatment Efficiency and Sustainability”.

Improved sanitation systems in rural areas

In large areas of northern Scandinavia on-site sanitation systems are used. In a new project investigates the function of existing treatment systems, their effect on the environment, how the treatment efficiency can be increased and which alternative systems can be used.

Urban Water PhD students visiting INSA in Lyon

Two of LTU PhD students visited INSA in Lyon, France to study methods for multicriteria analyzes and green roof solutions.

In the media: Microflora in wastewater is investigated

Kungsbacka project "Microflora in soil-based treatment plants" in cooperation with Luleå University of Technology.

New report about on-site wastewater treatment

This report summarises the results from the projects "Phosphorus filters for on-site wastewater treatment - how long do they work?" (1236-15) and "Discharge of bacteria from on-site wastewater treatment units" (1240-15) that were funded by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (fund 1:1...

Small flexible urban water systems

When Sweden and Europe is changing due to climate change and urbanization our aging systems for urban water infrastructure must be updated. Researchers at Luleå University of Technology investigate small flexible urban sanitation solutions compared to today's centralized sewage systems in the indust...

In the media: Municipalities in a research project on small sewages

Luleå University of Technology has also received funding for another project, bacterial emissions from small sewages.

Lower emissions from small sewage

Small-scale drainage system for water emit large amounts of phosphorus causing eutrophication. The PhD student Inga Herrmann, Luleå University of Technology, develops methods that facilitate the production of effective filters for phosphorus removal.

Published:11 May 2017

Updated: 2 June 2022

By:Sylvia Kowar

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