The Rainy Season is Here

Autumn is here once again, and with it comes the rain. The issue of rain measurement resurfaces among municipalities across the country, as it is often the first step in understanding the correlation between precipitation, stormwater, and overflow events.

In recent years, floods and overflows have become a recurring topic in news headlines, and it’s no exaggeration to say that the challenges we face have increased alongside shifting climate patterns.

The Problem

There is a significant maintenance backlog in Sweden’s piping systems, as investments in upgrades have been postponed for decades in many areas. Even newly installed systems, however, have a limited lifespan – a lifespan that can be impacted by a range of external factors, including ground subsidence, new construction projects, or incorrect connections.

Old drainage systems are part of the problem, but in many places, households have their stormwater connected to municipal wastewater lines—a combined system that was common until the 1960s.

In 2023, heavy rainfall caused problems in many municipalities across the country. Inflow from stormwater entering the systems added to the issues by carrying gravel and sediment, which clogged pipes and reduced flow capacity. Large areas of hard surfaces, where rainwater must be drained away by stormwater systems, were another complicating factor.

Overflow: The Only Solution – Or Is It?

The result of heavy rainfall periods is frequent overflow, the safety mechanism used to prevent the overload of wastewater systems and treatment plants. But today, overflows cannot occur without reporting why and how much wastewater is released.

The legal requirement is based on “person equivalents” (PE)—a calculation of population density per overflow point. In a municipal system with many overflow points, not all may be prioritized if their PE is too low.

However, legal requirements have become stricter, and today, all overflows must be reported. Regional authorities actively monitor this, requiring both the volume and cause of the overflow to be submitted to relevant oversight agencies, which may include either regional authorities or sometimes municipal environmental offices. Knowing both the rainfall volumes and the amount of additional water entering the system becomes crucial.

Overview: A Prerequisite for Proactive Management

To stay ahead, it is essential to have a clear overview of your drainage system. With measurement equipment from Aqua Robur placed in wells and overflow points, municipalities can move from reactive to proactive management. Once installed and calibrated, the sensors are ready to transmit various types of data depending on the use case, and they can also send alerts when predefined thresholds are exceeded. All data is compiled and visualized in Aqua Robur’s own portal – or, after integration, in the customers’ own system.

By also using rain gauges, municipalities can see the correlation between rainfall, stormwater in the system, and any wastewater being discharged—an important factor when considering insurance claims and determining liability for damages.

With sensors, real-time information on rising water levels allows quick action, such as dispatching repair crews, pump trucks, handling blockages, or rerouting water. Naturally, alerts are also sent if levels drop, which can indicate a blockage somewhere in the system.

Aqua Robur’s systems and sensors map the drainage network and provide users with a clear overview of its status in real time. The cost savings are immediate—especially compared to sending out personnel to manually monitor each overflow point.

It All Starts With a Call

Contact us at Aqua Robur to learn more about how you can streamline your maintenance and meet reporting obligations with ease. Together, we can discuss your specific needs and demonstrate how our system works.