Wastewater

Insufficiently treated wastewater can contaminate your own or your neighbors' water wells and contribute to eutrophication and poorer bathing water quality.

When no municipal connection is available, the sewage issue must be resolved in an approved manner, either individually for your own household or together with surrounding properties. As a property owner, you are responsible for ensuring that your sewage system meets current requirements.

A sewage system generally consists of sludge separation (three-chamber well or equivalent) and subsequent treatment, e.g. infiltration or ground bed. There are also other solutions, such as mini-treatment plants. For more information on different solutions, see the Wastewater Guide - avloppsguiden.se (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window..

Do you need a permit or is a notification enough?

A permit is required to set up a sewage system where a WC is connected. This also applies if you want to connect a toilet to an existing sewage system.

In some areas, a permit is also required to set up BDT (bathing, dishwashing, laundry) drains. Contact Västra Gästrikland's community building administration for more information. For the installation of BDT drains in other areas, a notification is required.

If you are making changes to an existing sewage system, this may also require a notification. No permit or notification is required for simply replacing a sludge separator with a new one. Contact Västra Gästrikland's community building administration for advice.

What should your application/notification contain?

Documents to be submitted for review are:

• Application for the establishment or notification of a change to a sewage system.
• Scaled plot map (can be ordered via e-service External link, opens in new window.)
• Cross-sectional drawing of the sewage system
• Soil type diagram (in case of planned infiltration)
• When installing a mini-treatment plant or extra phosphorus treatment, a technical description and operating and maintenance instructions must be attached.
• Any easement or similar agreement if the sewage plant is located on another's land.
• Any power of attorney allowing the contractor to represent the applicant as an agent.

Different areas and different recipients have different requirements regarding level of protection in terms of wastewater treatment. At normal level of protection, the degree of treatment of phosphorus is required to be 70% and BOD7 90%. With a high level of protection, e.g. in the vicinity of some lakes and watercourses, a higher degree of treatment is required (phosphorus 90%, BOD7 90% and nitrogen 50%). Contact Västra Gästrikland's community building administration for more information about what applies in your area.

Västra Gästrikland's community development board charges a fee for processing applications/notifications for the establishment or modification of sewage facilities. Fees and rates

A contractor's report must be submitted not later than two weeks after the work of completing the sewage system is done.