New survey: 6 out of 10 municipalities lack a plan for water supply during torrential rains

By 1 January 2024, all municipalities in Sweden must have established a water service plan to secure a long-term water supply and be better prepared in the event of heavy rain. With just over two months to go, 59 percent of municipalities will be without a plan by the end of the year, according to the Novus survey conducted on behalf of Mötesplats Vatten2023.

– The result reinforces the image that many municipalities feel that the water service plan is unclear and that they do not know how to work with it. The water issue is too invisible in the political debate. In light of the report, we have an additional panel discussion next week to highlight the challenges facing the Swedish water supply, says Annika Persson, business manager for the new meeting place Vatten2023, which is being arranged on October 24-26.

In the survey, 54 percent of municipalities respond that they have started work on the water service plan but do not believe it will be completed on time. 4 percent have neither started work nor will have a plan completed on time. Only 1 percent have a completed water service plan in place, while 38 percent have started work and believe it will be completed by January 1, 2024.

4 out of 10 municipalities lack a budget

Increased costs due to, for example, torrential rain have also been addressed in the survey, with 40 percent of municipalities stating that there is no budget to handle the measures needed to ensure that the municipalities' water services function in the event of increased load. 24 percent respond that they do not know if any such budget exists. Of the municipalities that respond that there is no budget for increased costs, 55 and 48 percent are found in northern or western Sweden, respectively.

Special Novus presentation and panel discussion at Mötesplats Vatten2023

The survey is part of the report “The temperature of the water-Sweden” commissioned by Mötesplats Vatten2023 to find out how prioritized the water issue is in the municipalities, what maintenance needs there are and what resources are required to implement any investments in the water infrastructure.

The report will be presented in its entirety by Novus during the event Mötesplats Vatten2023. Wednesday, October 25 and is followed by an additional panel discussion with, among others, researchers and municipal representatives.

Media

Meeting point Water2023 is a new trade fair and conference for water and water supply issues and takes place 24-26 October at the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre in Gothenburg. The event is organised by the Water Industry and the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre. Media are welcome to accredit themselves to all days via the link: Press accreditation. Read more about Water2023 in press invitation.

Excerpt from the survey

Municipal managers have greater confidence than department heads that they will be ready with their water service plan by January 1.

58 percent of municipal managers and 26 percent of department heads respond that they have started the work and will be finished by January 1.
Four out of ten municipalities respond that they do not have room in their budget to also handle the measures needed for water services to function in the event of increased load, e.g. due to torrential rain.

Regional distribution, proportion that is or will be ready with a water service plan by January 1, 2024:

South: 54%
North: 45%
Between: 39%
Vest: 26%

Four out of ten municipalities respond that they do not have room in their budget to also handle the measures needed for water services to function in the event of increased load, e.g. due to torrential rain.

Regional distribution, proportion that does not have a budget to handle measures in the event of increased load:

North: 55%
Vest: 48%
Between: 39%
South: 28%

Implementation:

Number of interviews conducted: 237
Field period: September 13 – October 3, 2023
Target group: Municipal and department heads in Swedish municipalities.
The survey in Sweden was conducted via telephone and web interviews where all municipalities in Sweden were contacted.
The figures are in some cases adjusted for rounding effects.

Water industry