Municipal wastewater - KOSTRA, 2007

The annual average renewal rate is 0.43 per cent in the North Sea counties (Østfold to Vest-Agder), and 0.47 per cent in the rest of the country. However, because the pipeline system is more extensive in the North Sea counties, the gross renewal is somewhat higher (around 83 kilometres) than in the rest of the country (around 70 kilometres). All figures are based on the new data in KOSTRA.

The renewal of wastewater pipelines is of critical importance in order to prevent damage to buildings and pollution to through leakages. Leaking pipelines can also contribute to higher treatment costs as surface water and groundwater may enter the pipelines.

Half of the municipal wastewater pipelines installed after 1980

Estimates for 2007 show that there are around 34 300 kilometres of municipal wastewater pipelines in the country, which equals around 85 per cent of the circumference of the earth at the equator. The average age of the municipal wastewater pipelines is estimated to be around 33 years (for calculation method, see About the statistics).

A total of 5.4 per cent of the municipal wastewater pipelines were installed before 1940, while 49.2 per cent were installed in 1980 or later. In addition, for 6.7 per cent of the pipelines the installation time is unknown, but it is likely that they are old. The renewal rate for this category is relatively large at 1.82 per cent. In comparison, there was a 0.73 per cent renewal rate for wastewater pipelines installed before 1940 and a renewal rate of 0.19 per cent for pipelines installed in 1980 or later.

In addition to the renewal of old pipelines, estimates show that 425 kilometres of new pipelines were installed in 2007, corresponding to 1.24 per cent of the total municipal pipeline system.

Variation in standard of wastewater pipeline systems

According to the 2007 figures there were 85 sewage overflows per 1 000 kilometre municipal pipeline system in the country. The figures are not only related to the age of the pipeline systems, but there is a tendency that older pipelines give rise to more sewage overflows. In municipalities where the average age was below 25 years the figure was 75 sewage overflows per 1 000 kilometre pipelines, while this figure was 105 in municipalities with pipelines older than 50 years.

Rising fees

The average annual fee for 2008 is NOK 2 722, an increase of 6 per cent from 2007. With an annual fee of NOK 3 716, the county of Oppland has the highest fee while the county of Oslo had the lowest fee with NOK 1 650.

Average figures for municipalities show an increase in fees in all counties. The highest increase was found in Troms and Finnmark, while municipalities in Nord-Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal had the lowest increase.

For 57 per cent of the municipalities, the annual fee is between NOK 1 000 and NOK 3 000. These municipalities represent 76 per cent of the population.

Several municipalities have a graded connection fee system with low and high level connection fees depending on local regulations. In 2008, the high level connection fee varies from no such fee to NOK 70 000. The average fee in the municipalities is NOK 12 667, an increase of 7 per cent from 2007. The connection fee was highest in the municipalities of Akershus. Furthermore, in 23 per cent of the municipalities the fee varies between NOK 5 000 and NOK 10 000. These municipalities represent 21 per cent of the population.

Municipal wastewater fees are set by the municipal authorities in accordance with full cost regulations. The cost of the service should be reflected in the fee level, and the revenues collected by fees must not exceed the municipal cost of the service. The fee calculation basis is the total of operating expenditures and capital costs, excluding other income. The fee calculation basis per inhabitant connected to municipal services varied between NOK 356 and NOK 10 168 in 2007. The average fee was NOK 1 242, an increase of 6 per cent from 2006.