Municipal water supply

Booster pumps are installed on the pipelines to pump water to locations at higher altitude than the water source, and in general to keep the pressure at the right level. This is important in order to avoid damages to the pipelines and contaminations.

Capital costs consists of the following two costs: Depreciation of earlier annual investments and a calculated interest cost for capital goods. Both depreciation costs and calculated interest cost are derived from KOSTRA-form number 23.

Coloured water often occurs due to natural organic components (humus content). The humus components are not necessarily harmful on their own, but may create suitable conditions for undesirable bacterial growth. Humus may also combine with other contaminations.

Cost coverage refers to, in percent, how big a share of the annual water supply related costs the municipalities actually cover by water fees. Municipalities are not entitled to claim more than actual costs, neither are they obliged to claim full cost coverage.

Delivery failure includes both intended and unintended stops in the water supply.

E. coli is a bacteria used as indicator for possible faecal contamination.

Full cost ratio = ((Fee income) / (Fee calculation basis + Allocations - Use of funds)) x 100

Municipal waterworks are waterworks owned by the municipalities. Waterworks established as limited companies with more than 50 percent municipal ownership are included.

Number of inhabitants connected is estimated from total number of inhabitants in combination with information about the extensiveness of the water pipelines.

Operating costs constitutes the sum of administrative-, management- and maintenance costs. Figures are reported through The Municipal-State-Reporting system (KOSTRA), on form no. 23.

pH is a measure for water acidity. Water with a high acidic content has a corroding effect on the pipelines, which may cause release of heavy metals to the water.

Satisfactory water quality for the different parameters used in KOSTRA (E.coli, pH, colour and intestinal enterococci) is defined as follows: the number of non-complying water analyses throughout the year should be less than 5 per cent of the total number of analyses taken.

Water fees consist of a connection fee and a fixed annual fee. The connection fee is collected once only - during installation. Figures are reported through The Municipal-State-Reporting system (KOSTRA), on form number 22.

Water use covers the consumption of water within the area covered by the distribution system of a waterworks. The consumption is distributed by sector/industry, estimated from the amount of water abstracted from the source and the amount of water used in treatment operations. Water use in households consists of all water used in households, holiday homes, institutions and the like. Water use for other purposes includes, among others, water to livestock and irrigation.

Waterworks applies to the administration of the water supply services, including water source (basin) water treatment facility and/or distribution system (pipelines). The statistics includes only waterworks which supply at least 50 persons and/or at least 20 houses or cabins (thus smaller waterworks are not part).

Norway's municipalities are grouped according to population and economic comparable groups. The classification is based on the report (in Norwegian only): Gruppering av kommuner etter folkemengde og økonomiske rammebetingelser 2020