Balticsea 2020

Help your bay - improve your drains

During 2012-2017 BalticSea2020 aims to regain good water quality in Björnöfjärden bay on Ingarö in the Stockholm archipelago. The bay is heavily eutrophicated due to a large leakage of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), which reaches the bay from agricultures and sewage systems. During 2012 and 2013, BalticSea2020 has carried out a series of measures to improve the water quality in Björnöfjärden. Samplings show clean water in the bay, but unfortunately the area's groundwater and ditch water contains high levels of nutrients and bacteria. To protect drinking water and prevent further eutrophication in the bay, losses from properties with poor sewage systems need to be urgently tackled.

With the project ”Help your bay - improve your drains” BalticSea2020 wants to offer property owners around Björnöfjärden help improving their drains.

The aim is to reduce nutrient leaching from the approximately 200 of 1000 small drains around Björnöfjärden bay, who have unsatisfactory sanitation solutions.

What real estate is concerned?
The properties affected are all within basin of Björnöfjärden bay, i.e. within the brown line on the map to the right (click on picture for larger image). Most of the 200 properties that need better sewage systems either have their toilet connected to a soak away or drain field, or a private disposal of their sewage on the property. These solutions perform poorly in areas with thin soil layers and leak nutrients and do not purify bacteria and viruses well enough. In order to not contaminate the drinking water and eutrophie Björnöfjärden, all drains in the area clean the water for at least 15 years, maybe longer, because it will be some time until municipal VA will be pulled out in the area.

Which drainage system will work best?
In view of the bay's strong eutrophication and the area's sensitive nature, a solution where sewage is carried away from the area is needed. Properties which do not have a sealed tank for sewage, toilet combustion, or urine tank and sewage collection contribute to the nutritional leaking in Björnfjärden and causes eutrophication.

Do you want more information?
For more information, please visit the project website. There you will find information on how we can help to improve the drains in your property. At the webiste, you can also contact our VA-counselors who will give you free advice and tips. You also have the option to download documents, such as the brochure "Help your bay - improve your drain" which is produced by BalticSea2020 and Avloppsguiden, addressed to the residents around Björnöfjärden. You can also download presentations from project's meetings. Visit www.balticsea2020.org/enskilda-avlopp. (The page has been removed as the project is completed).

Living coast
For more information about the program Living coast - click here. There you can read more about our other measures to reduce nutrients to Björnöfjärden.

Visit the Värmdö municipality website for more information on the municipality's work on private sewers - click here.