FVB expands within water and sewage

FVB has worked with water and sewage for some time, mainly within electrical and automation systems for water purification plants. The company is now expanding into design and planning of underground water and sewage pipes, along with different types of related areas such as issues related to climate change that can affect water. This can include modelling cloudbursts that affect surface and drinking water.

“What tempted to me to join FVB is the fact that the company is opting to invest and expand within water and sewage, working closely with other technologies. That means plenty of opportunities to develop within the water and sewage area. Being part of the driving force within that field feels really appealing,” says Andersson.

He started work at FVB on 1 May and has the interesting title of Water and Sewage Driver, which in practice means he is to promote and develop projects within the field. Andersson has been a consultant for 13 years, working most recently for Afry. During his time as a consultant, he has specialised in storm water reports, but has also worked on underground water and sewage pipe design and planning, and been Senior Engineer on several projects.

“There are a range of challenges within water, sewage and storm water in Sweden, which have begun to attract a lot of attention. Municipalities, businesses and authorities have made water one of their focus areas, and the field has become much more important,” he says.

The fact that water has become so critical is mainly due to climate change, but also to ageing water pipes and plants, which are in desperate need of renovation.

Storm water management and drinking water supply will be affected by climate change through more intensive rain and periods of drought, pollution and increasing use of our water resources. Tougher requirements and more intensive efforts within storm water purification in utility planning will become more common, and the need for reserve and emergency supplies is no longer a contingency issue, but a necessity.

“The effects of sewage and wastewater on the environment have become important. Water is really becoming an issue for the future, as demand is growing both in Sweden and internationally, and the right skills to deal with such demand are needed,” states Andersson.

“The problem with resources in terms of skills and money within the industry is becoming serious. The rate of renewal of our water and sewage pipes and plants is far too low, and our trade organisation Svenskt Vatten is lobbying hard to get the government and others to speed up the pace of renewal to ensure the system continues to work,” he adds.

Why should a company or municipality hire FVB to work with water and sewage?

“FVB has broad know-how in the field of underground pipes and the circumstances surrounding large-scale infrastructure projects,” says Emil Bäcklin, District Manager at FVB in Gävle. He adds:

“Turning to a cross-disciplinary consultant has a number of benefits, and we can see that FVB ticks a lot of the boxes in that regard. Customers can get what they want better and more efficiently within all parameters from start to finish.