Wastewater treatment innovation will play a key role in improving water quality in Norway’s Oslo Fjord after Veolia secured a €28.5 million contract to expand and upgrade the Fuglevik wastewater treatment plant. The works aim to reduce nutrient pollution and safeguard marine biodiversity.
Addressing nutrient pollution in the Oslo Fjord
The Fuglevik wastewater treatment plant serves around 85,000 people in the Moss region. The upgrade is designed to significantly reduce the discharge of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which contribute to algae growth and eutrophication in the Oslo Fjord’s marine ecosystem.
To comply with stricter nitrogen removal requirements from the Norwegian government, the existing facility must be enhanced to manage higher flows and improve effluent quality. The project is expected to protect aquatic life and support the long-term health of coastal communities that depend on the fjord.
Partnership and sustainable design
The project was developed in collaboration with MOVAR, the inter-municipal water and wastewater company serving the Moss region. Veolia and MOVAR worked together during the design phase to tailor treatment solutions to local conditions.
The upgrade prioritises sustainability by reusing existing infrastructure in the pre-clarification stage, reducing carbon emissions and demonstrating how environmental collaboration can deliver benefits beyond water quality improvements.
Advanced treatment technologies
The upgraded Fuglevik facility will integrate several of Veolia’s proprietary technologies to achieve high removal rates for a range of contaminants. These include the Hybas™ integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process, combining activated sludge with an AnoxKaldnes™ moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) to reduce organic material and support nitrogen removal.
ZeeWeed™ membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology will deliver high-purity effluent with low silt density, while additional systems will achieve removal rates of up to 99% for microplastics and particles, at least 70% for nitrogen (expandable to over 85%) and 93% for phosphorus.
Resource recovery and circular solutions
The project also incorporates an advanced phosphorus recovery system that converts waste streams into struvite, a valuable organic fertiliser. Biogas generated during wastewater treatment will provide heat and electricity for the plant, illustrating how wastewater management can contribute to resource circularity and reduced environmental impact.
Construction is underway, with commissioning scheduled for 2029. The upgraded facility is expected to play a central role in enhancing treated wastewater quality, supporting regional development and contributing to the long-term ecological health of the Oslo Fjord.
