A Pioneering Collaboration

This project is carried out within the Strategic Innovation Program I&T Sweden, a joint venture by Vinnova, Formas and the Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten). In the project, Kristianstad Municipality's Water & Sewage Office and IT departments collaborate with C4 Energi and Kristianstad University.

A system that alarms and reports

The goal is to have a digital platform that sends out alarms and reports design defects in the Water/Sewage network. The platform will also take in weather forecasts via SMHI's weather warnings as a complement. For example, citizens who have properties at risk of basement flooding receive alarms about upcoming high flows. The 550 sensors give signals to the municipality to empty its wastewater systems to free up space for rainwater.

Kristianstad municipality will also keep track of all hotspots. Flushing is a normal system function to prevent wastewater from going backwards if the pipes become overcrowded. If it does, the water risks penetrating into floor drains and street drains and causing floods. Melting takes place primarily in connection with heavy rain and snowmelt or at elevated water levels in connection with storms.

Measurements in the flow of the water supply and sewerage system mean that it is possible to specify each leakage of additional water, ie water that should not be in the sewer network that may come from leaking pipes or incorrectly connected drains. Reduced additional water is a major cost saving for all municipal residents. The same applies to missed flood cases that affect both the municipality and citizens.

The deployment and installation of the 550 measuring units will be completed by the autumn of 2021. In parallel, data collection, analysis and support of measuring units will take place throughout the year. In 2022, the information collected by the measuring units will be analyzed. Kristianstad municipality will also openly share information about results, findings and knowledge.