A new, larger and robust wastewater treatment plant

Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant will be the hub of VA SYD’s coming MAXIMA wastewater treatment system. The plan is to expand and transform it into a larger, more modern and robust plant with new technology. When in operation, the plant will be ready to meet the increasing demands on wastewater treatment.

Co-oporating municipalities: Burlöv, Lomma, Lund and Malmö, the wastewater treatment plant will also, like before, treat wastewater from Hjärup in Staffanstorp municipality and Bara and Klågerup in Svedala municipality.
Area: 19 hectares
Volume: about 700 000 people, 820 000 population equivalent
Treatment process: membrane bioreactor (MBR)
Outfall pipelines: 2 pipelines, 2 metres in diameter, 4 kilometres out into the Öresund
Construction time: 8 years, and built while the existing plant is in operation

Sjölunda pumping station
Capacity: 10 cubic metres per second 
Location: next to Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant, and will pump the wastewater from a depth of 35 metres up to the treatment plant

Current state

Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant was built in 1963 and since then been expanded in several steps. The plant has now reached a point where additional renovations are no longer a sustainable long-term solution. Due to recurring malfunctions and also difficulties in meeting treatment requirements, VA SYD submitted a new environmental permit application in May 2025 to allow the plant to continue operating.

Advantageous location

A study has concluded that the current location is the most beneficial for a wastewater treatment plant in the region. There are no plans for housing constructions in the area, and serveral industries closeby will enable future circular solutions. Therefore, the new wastewater treatment plant will be built at the same location as the current one, while it remains in operation. 

Cost-effective and better for the environment

A shared investment in wastewater treatment with better technology will generate greater value at a lower cost, also benefitting the aquatic environments. Once operational, the new Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant will replace local plants, enabling the recovery of nearby small watercourses. In addition, the new outfall pipelines, going further out into Öresund, will help protect the aquatic environment in Lommabukten and Natura 2000 sites.

Utilising resources 

Future wastewater treatment plants will further develop the ability to both treat wastewater and extract resources. Already today, heat is recovered from wastewater and returned to the city. Through the treatment process, we also produce biogas for public transport and fertiliser for arable land – but we can do even more. Therefore, we are taking a closer look at how a new plant can:

• Be carbon neutral
• Help ensure that the wastewater treatment plant produces and returns more energy to the community than it consumes 
• Distribute recycled treated water
• Work with other businesses in sustainable resource management
• Be built flexibly to allow adaptation to changes in technology and water flow 
• Be 100 per cent self-sufficient in terms of water in the treatment process