The Swedish bathing water is worse than it has been for a long time, this shows new statistics requested by TV4Nyheterna. So far this summer, over 200 bathing areas in the country have closed due to unusable water, not infrequently because untreated waste water has been released directly into the bathing cove.
– It doesn’t look so nice with toilet paper, says Carolina Storberg at Laholmsbuktens VA. But you have to bear in mind that it is very, very mixed.
For at least three days in connection with the storm Hans, Laholmsbukten’s VA was forced to overflow, i.e. to release untreated sewage, among other things on the beach in Mellbystrand. Passers-by could then see toilet paper or other hygiene items around the drain pipe.
– It’s strange, says summer guest Anders Fagerman. It is probably “basic” if you are a seaside resort, to make sure that the water is A and O.
Laholm is just one of many municipalities that were forced to take action during the summer’s rainy weather, when the load on the sewage and stormwater systems became too high.
– You don’t want to overflow, but at the same time it’s lucky that we can overflow, says Carolina Storberg. Otherwise, there would probably have been even worse consequences.
So many swimming spots have been closed this summer
So many swimming spots have been closed this summer
According to figures from the Norwegian Sea and Water Authority requested by TV4Nyheterna, the municipalities have so far this year advised against bathing due to unusable water 228 times, compared to 86 during the same period last year and 134 in 2021.
Stockholm County (52) has the most cases this summer, followed by Halland (42), Västra Götaland (27) and Skåne (24). And flooding in particular is believed to be a major culprit in the drama.
– If treatment plants release untreated waste water, this contains these indicator bacteria, says Ema Glad, investigator and the Norwegian Sea and Water Authority.
– They are stomach bacteria that come from the intestines of humans or warm-blooded animals. And sewage contains a lot of this. So there is a connection, she says.
These emissions also happen more often than we might think.
According to a review by the magazine Aktuell Hållbarhet, in 2021 there were over 4,000 discharges of unclean wastewater within 300 meters of a bathing area.
– If you don’t swallow the water, nothing happens, because these bacteria can’t affect you just by getting them on your skin, says Ema Glad. But it is more difficult if it concerns, for example, dogs or children. So there is always some kind of risk.
In the clip above: This is unsuitable bathwater.