Sewage management in cold and sparsely populated regions: Solutions for the Arctic

Wastewater treatment in sensitive, Arctic environments

Access to clean water is fundamental for life, but wastewater management is even more important, especially in Arctic, sparsely populated communities. This seminar brings together experts from many corners of the NPA region, who share best practices about wastewater management in these sensitive environments. The seminar is followed by a workshop, which allows more in depth discussion between the representatives of Greenlandic municipalities and the wastewater experts of the ArcticSewlutions project. 

Programme of the event

9.00 - 9.10 Welcome – Pekka Rossi, University of Oulu, Finland

9.10 - 9.30 Overall Wastewater situation in the Arctic region, and Greenland, Pernille E. Jensen, Arctic DTU, Greenland/Denmark

9.30 - 9.50 What is wastewater, environmental impacts, sensitivity of recipients, Pekka Rossi, University of Oulu, Finland

9.50 - 10.10 Wastewater perspectives from Avannaata, Greenland, Natazia Nielsen and Martin Meincke, Avannaata Municipality

10.10 - 10.30 Coffee break

10.30 - 11.00 Small Biorotors, Elisangela Heiderscheidt, University of Oulu, Finland

11.00 - 11.30 Wastewater treatment and management example from Northern Finland, Paulus Lepistö, Managing director, Inari water utility, Finland & Pekka Rossi, Oulu University, Finland

11.30 - 12.00 Systems in Sweden, Inga Herrmann, Luleå Technical University, Sweden

12.00 - 13.00 Lunch

13.00 - 13.20 Systems in Sweden with focus on mechanical filters operation and maintenance, Torben Bauer, Lumire, Sweden

13.20 - 13.40 Systems in Iceland and recipients, Ragnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, EFLA, Iceland

13.40 - 14.00 Canadian examples in Northern communities, Lisbeth Truelstrup Hansen, Arctic DTU, Greenland/Denmark

14.00 - 14.15 Coffee

14.15 - 17.00 Interactive workshop with representatives of Greenlandic municipalities: What information do the stakeholders, decision makers and practitioners in the Arctic region need in order to make informed decisions about wastewater impacts and wastewater treatment?

(Photo of Sisimiut by Ida Huusmann Knøfler)