Bolmen Water Tunnel

The Bolmentunnel is a 80 km long water tunnel in southern Sweden. He leads from the lake Bolmen after Äktaboden in the community Klippan, Skane. The tunnel is operated by Sydvatten and supplied about 700 000 people in Scania with drinking water.

Background

In the 60s of the 20th century the population of the southern Swedish city Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg rose sharply. This population growth was viewed with concern as sources of drinking water was insufficient for the growing industry and population in these cities. In order to create the water scarcity situation, it was decided that a 80 km long pipeline to build Bolmen. At the end of the line in Äktaboden, near Perstorp, the water is distributed to the rest of Skåne. On of the total distance of the tunnel has a gradient of 90 meters and conveys the water only by the gravity. The tunnel diameter is 8 m. The Bolmen than tenth largest Swedish lake adequate reserves of fresh water, which is clean and decalcified in contrast to the southern Swedish lakes.

1966 joined the cities of Malmö, Helsingborg, Lund, Landskrona and Eslöv and founded the joint stock company Sydvatten, which operates the Bolmentunnel. In the following years, other cities Sydvatten joined.

1975 began the construction of the actual tunnel. When it became clear that population growth was less than expected and proved to be the geological conditions as worse than expected, it came to a halt the project.

After modifications to the original plans of the tunnel could be put into operation in 1987 and the connected cities were supplied with fresh and soft water. 2011 were supplied with water through the tunnel approximately 800,000 households.

The time of about 2,500 liters per second flowing through the tunnel, wherein / has a capacity of 6000 liters second.

The water from the lake Bolmen has a hardness of 3-4 ° dH. In contrast, the water resources in Skåne have a hardness of about 5 ° dH.

Future

At the time invested Sydvatten in a new line network and establishes the power of the connected places. Vellinge 2006 was connected to the water mains. Other places will follow, since stricter EU regulations no longer permit the self-sufficiency of some places.

In 2009, the tunnel had to be stopped due to urgent renovations after he threatened to collapse at different places and it was already two collapse points. The clean-up costs were estimated at about 35 to 40 million SEK. The lack of drinking water withdrawals affected communities over the period of closure of the lake Ringsjön. Due to delays and further rehabilitation needs in the southern part of the tunnel could be put into operation again only on March 29, 2011.

In the meantime, there were disputes between Sydvatten as the operator of the tunnel and the communities Ljungby and Markaryd because seep into the tunnel does not inconsiderable amounts groundwater, in part, in the fields of routing problems. Basis of the action is the question of whether Sydvatten ever allowed to spend the groundwater without permission. In a first trial before an environmental court ( Miljödomstolen ) the community Markaryd was right. Sydvatten sought out with new appraisal before the highest court of a revision.

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