You can see from Oslo’s drinking water source, Maridalsvannet, that it has not rained for a long time. The capital must now get help from neighboring municipalities to supply the inhabitants with enough water.
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In addition, Oslo is restricting the water flow in the Akerselva by a third to save Oslo’s drinking water. The capital’s 700,000 inhabitants have not yet followed the call to pinch on water use.
– We currently receive water from Bærum municipality and Nedre Romerike Vannverk, which together contribute 10 percent of Oslo’s consumption, says Frode Hult, section leader water environment in the Water and Sewerage Authority in Oslo to VG.
Record low rainfall
Yr writes on Twitter that they have never before registered less precipitation on Blindern in Oslo than in the period 25 February to 21 April. In 56 days, only 13.2 mm of precipitation has fallen here.
– The water level in Maridalsvannet is now down to 67 percent, compared to 88 which is normal at this time of year, says Hult in the Water and Sewerage Authority
At the same time, there is less snow in Nordmarka than normal.
– It has been very dry for half a year and this causes the drinking water sources to drop. The last time it was critical was in 1995 and 1996. Then we had two dry years on board and were down to 30 percent, says Frode Hult.
At the time, it was really critical. It is not yet.
– But if we get the same drought over time, we will get there now too, warns Hult. In 1995–1996, it was forbidden to water in the garden and wash the car and the water flow in the Akerselva was turned down to 250 liters per second.
At the first action level
Oslo has four levels of action in the event of water shortages and is now at the same level in.
– We have lowered the water flow in Akerselva. Maridalsvannet is the start of the Akerselva and usually 1500 liters of water flow per second. Now we are at 1000. It is going perfectly well and we can lower it further to 250 liters per second, but then it can be critical for animal and plant life along the river, says Hult.
– Are you worried?
– It is not critical now, but can be in the long run if we do not act. If we make good savings measures now, we will avoid interventions in the long term or get interventions that only last a short time, says Hult, who asks everyone to contribute.
At the end of January, the municipality went out and asked people to save on water to avoid water shortages. Not many have listened to that.
– It has not had a big impact. We are at the same level as before the call, and we are considering new communication measures, says Hult.
– Is there a danger of more drastic measures?
– Yes, but of course it all depends on whether there is precipitation.
–Savings tips
Hult asks the citizens of Oslo to shorten the shower, turn off the water while brushing their teeth and press the “little button” on the toilet.
– If all of Oslo’s 700,000 inhabitants contribute, it will pay off, says Hult.
Oslo has a vulnerable drinking water supply since 90 percent comes from Maridalsvannet and rivers and lakes connected to the water. One of the lakes is Gjerdingen, which is currently being drained to rehabilitate the dam facility.
This, together with the lack of precipitation, is the reason why the municipality asked people to save on the drops. Skullerud supplies Oslo East with the remaining 10 percent.
Following an order from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the municipality is building a new water supply from Holsfjorden. This will be in place in 2028.
– There is light in the tunnel, but the uncertainty and vulnerability in Oslo’s water supply we have to live with for another six years, says Hult.
Almost 40 percent disappear
A lot of water is also lost, partly due to old and bad pipes and because Oslo is hilly and you therefore have to have quite high pressure in the pipes.
– Up to 40 percent of the water disappears. It happens on both the private and public wiring. People also fill water from the pipe network that we have no control over and there are fire water outlets that are used by the fire service and municipal agencies when they have to flush the streets, Hult says.
The pipeline network in the capital is 1500 km long and covers the distance from Oslo to Naples. The “worsting pipes” are those that were laid between 1945 and 1970.
–– Norway was poor after the war and it was difficult to get good materials. Drababantby construction gained momentum, and it was a combination of poor quality and hasty work. There is the greatest need to replace the pipes from this period, says Hult.
The average age of the water pipes is 60 years and the pipes that are laid today are expected to have a lifespan of 100 years.
– We are working really hard to seal water leaks and hope to come down to 20 percent by 2030, says Hult.
The reserve waters
If there is a full water crisis, Oslo can use Alnsjøen in Lillomarka and Langlia, which is located on the border between Nordmarka and Krokskogen.
– But they do not have drinking water quality so then we have to ask people to boil the water, says Hult.
Key water is also an alternative, but if you want to get drinking water from here, it is forbidden to swim, grill, paddle and enjoy yourself along the water.
– We will probably not get there this summer. Then extreme things will happen, Hult concludes.
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