The northern wastewater tunnel

A wastewater tunnel from Lund to Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant

A wastewater tunnel from Lund that, along the route, also connects the municipalities of Burlöv and Lomma as well as parts of Staffanstorp Municipality to the Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant provides many overall benefits. The current infrastructure needs to be upgraded, and this solution meets the needs of a growing population while protecting nearby aquatic environments.

The northern wastewater Tunnel will run from Källby in Lund to the Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant in Malmö, a distance of approximately 10 kilometers. Along the route, it will connect the municipalities of Burlöv and Lomma, as well as Hjärup in Staffanstorp Municipality.

The wastewater will be conveyed by gravity to the Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant, where a new large pumping station will pump the wastewater up to the treatment facility.

Tunnel
Location: From Källby in Lund to Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant
Lenght: 10 kilometres
Placing: 20–35 metres below ground
Internal diameter: 3 metres
Storage capacity: 80 000 cubic metres
Technical lifespan: 100 years

Sjölunda pumping station
Capacity: 10 cubic metres per second
Location: Next to Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant
Functionality: Will pump the wastewater from a depth of 35 metres up to the treatment plant

Shafts
Number: A total of 4 shafts along the tunnel stretch
Size: The entry shaft is 20 metres in diameter and the others are 9–13 meters in diameter
Depth: 15–40 metres down in the ground
Application: Tunnelling, evacuation during the construction phase, connection of the existing pipe network, and access for operation and maintenance

Connecting multiple urban areas

On its way from Källby in Lund, wastewater from Hjärup will be connected via a shaft. Wastewater from the urban area of Lomma and from Burlöv Municipality will connect to the tunnel through shafts located at sites where pumping stations currently exist in the present pipeline system. In addition, a transfer pipeline will be constructed from Borgeby, where wastewater from the urban area of Bjärred will be conveyed through a pressurised sewer system for connection to the wastewater tunnel at the shaft in Hjärup.

More cost effective

The northern tunnel connection is designed to handle maximum inflows in order to provide storage and flow equalisation during heavy rainfall. The storage function benefits the entire wastewater treatment system, as it enables more efficient construction and greater flexibility for future expansions, while also allowing flows to be regulated so that the Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant operates optimally at all times.

Reduced energy consumption

Thanks to the tunnel’s gentle gradient, the wastewater is conveyed by gravity, and connections via the existing pipeline network also take place through gravity sewers, which limits energy consumption in the system. When the wastewater reaches the Sjölunda pumping station, it is pumped from a depth of 35 meters up to the wastewater treatment plant.

Less environmental impact

Compared with a more traditional pipeline system, a tunnel has less impact on the surrounding environment. The impact from tunnels and shafts occurs primarily during the construction phase, but ceases entirely once the system is completed and put into operation. In addition, the land above the wastewater tunnels can continue to be used for urban development or agriculture, which is a major advantage compared with conventional pipeline expansion.