Municipal water supply, 2007

Norway had 1 027 municipal waterworks with around 4.0 million users in 2007 (85.3 per cent of the population). The waterworks produced 709 million m³ of water, corresponding to an average production of 179 m³ per capita. In 2006, the corresponding figures were 712 million m³ and 179 m³ respectively. The variations in production are mainly attributable to natural fluctuations in water use.

Around one third of the production in 2007 was lost due to leakages in the pipeline system. Leakages are calculated to 230 million m³. This is about 5 m³ per metre of pipeline per year (m³/m/year). This level has been constant in recent years. Households were the main consumers of water produced by municipal waterworks in 2007 (41 per cent). The remaining water was delivered to the food industry (6 per cent), other industries (12 per cent), the agricultural sector and other consumers (8 per cent).

11 per cent of unknown age

Based on the 2007reporting, the estimated length of the municipal water pipelines is nearly 43 000 kilometres. In comparison, the length of the waste water pipelines is 34 000 kilometres and the Earth’s circumference at the equator is 40 075 kilometres. For around 11 per cent of the pipelines the age is unknown. The estimated average age of the pipelines is 34 years, and 36 per cent of the pipelines were constructed before 1970. In this estimate, the pipelines of unknown age are included according to a distribution formula described in “About the statistics”.

The renewal activity varies. Calculated as moving average for the period 2005-2007, the rate of renewal is 0.70 per cent of the total length of pipelines. For the period 2002-2004, the rate was 0.48 per cent. Figure 1 shows that the rate of renewal is not as high as it used to be, but it is not yet possible to determine whether it has stagnated. A source of error for the renewal figures is the probability of improved reporting from the waterworks since 2002.

Satisfactory water quality

A total of 99 per cent of those who are connected to municipal waterworks had a satisfactory content of thermo-tolerant intestinal bacteria in their water, while 80 per cent had satisfactory levels of colour and 74 per cent had satisfactory levels of acidity (pH). The situation is quite constant with only slight variations from last year.

In figure 2, the status for the parameters pH, colour and E.coli are presented jointly on municipal level as percentage of inhabitants who receive water of satisfactory quality.

Rising water fees

The municipal fixed annual fee for stipulated water consumption is NOK 2 352 on average for the country as a whole, an increase of 7 per cent since 2007.

Sør-Trøndelag county has the highest fee (NOK 2 858 on average per year) and Oslo county the lowest (NOK 1 134 on average per year). The municipal averages have increased in all counties, and the highest increase took place in Telemark county with 17 per cent. The lowest increase (1 per cent) was found in Møre og Romsdal county.

Figure 3 shows that 37 per cent of the municipalities have a fixed annual fee of less than NOK 2 000. These municipalities cover 71 per cent of the population. On average, the largest municipalities have the lowest fixed annual fees.

Akershus county has the highest water connection fee in 2008 with NOK 19 075 on average.

KOSTRA key figures for average annual fees presented in StatBank Norway constitute the most common type of fees charged by municipalities (fixed annual fee or charge by water use).

For more information, go to KOSTRA: Municipal activities . See also: KOSTRA: Municipal wastewater