Veolia’s advanced technologies driving major wastewater treatment upgrade to improve Oslo Fjord water quality

______

• Veolia has been awarded a €28.5 million contract to expand and upgrade Norway's Fuglevik wastewater treatment plant, serving 85,000 people in the Moss region and protecting the iconic Oslo Fjord from nutrient pollution.
   
• The project will help restore the Oslo Fjord's vital marine ecosystem by dramatically reducing nutrient pollution that causes algae growth and eutrophication, benefiting both biodiversity and the coastal communities that depend on these waters.
   
• This innovative integration of Veolia’s proprietary technologies creates a highly compact, energy-efficient treatment system ensuring exceptional removal rates: 99% of microplastics and particles, at least 70% of nitrogen (expandable to over 85%) and 93% of phosphorus.
   
• An advanced phosphorus recovery system will transform waste into valuable resources in the form of organic fertilizers, illustrating Veolia's GreenUp strategy of combining environmental protection with resource preservation.

______

Veolia, the world leader in water technologies, has been awarded a €28.5 million contract to expand and upgrade the Fuglevik wastewater treatment plant in Norway, a transformative project set to significantly enhance water quality in the Oslo Fjord. The upgrade marks a major step toward protecting one of Norway's most important marine environments while serving a growing population.

The Oslo Fjord, a vital ecosystem sustaining marine biodiversity and coastal communities, faces increasing pressure from nutrient pollution due to insufficiently treated wastewater. To comply with new, stricter nitrogen removal requirements from the Norwegian government, the existing Fuglevik facility must be upgraded to handle higher flows and deliver the enhanced treatment needed to safeguard water quality and aquatic life.

Developed in close partnership with MOVAR, the inter-municipal water and wastewater company serving the Moss region, the project demonstrates a shared commitment to environmental stewardship. During the design phase, Veolia and MOVAR worked together to identify optimized treatment solutions tailored to local conditions and requirements. The project further minimizes environmental impact by reusing existing buildings and concrete structures in the pre-clarification stage, substantially reducing carbon emissions and demonstrating how innovative collaboration delivers benefits beyond water treatment performance.

Hans Jørgen Halvoser, Project Manager at MOVAR said: “This project is a crucial step towards securing a cleaner Oslo Fjord and a better environment for both current and future generations. As an inter-municipal company, MOVAR has a significant responsibility to deliver sustainable solutions to our owners and residents. Our collaboration with Veolia gives us access to world-leading technology, and together we demonstrate that it is possible to combine environmental responsibility with innovation and resource utilization. We are proud to contribute to a project that sets new standards for water treatment in Norway.”

The upgraded Fuglevik facility will serve approximately 85,000 people and implement several of Veolia's proprietary technologies, including:

• Hybas™ integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process, which combines activated sludge with Veolia's proven AnoxKaldnes™ moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) to reduce organic material and achieve nitrogen removal in wastewater.
• ZeeWeed™ membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology, a strong and reliable membrane that produces water with very high purity and low silt density. 

This innovative integration of Veolia's advanced technologies creates a highly compact, energy-efficient treatment system ensuring exceptional nitrogen and pollutant removal in a significantly smaller footprint than conventional systems. The system will achieve exceptional removal rates: 99% of microplastics and particles, at least 70% of nitrogen (expandable to over 85%), and 93% of phosphorus. These pollutants currently contribute to algae growth, eutrophication, and declining ecosystem health in the Oslo Fjord.

Additionally, Veolia's advanced phosphorus recovery system will transform waste streams into valuable resources, preventing phosphorus pollution of the fjord while recovering this critical nutrient in the form of struvite for use in organic fertilizers. Similarly, biogas generated during wastewater treatment will provide heating and electricity for the plant itself. Together, these circular economy solutions demonstrate how Veolia's integrated solutions address both environmental protection and resource preservation simultaneously.

"This project exemplifies Veolia's GreenUp strategy in action — transforming environmental challenges into opportunities,” said Anne Le Guennec, CEO of Veolia’s water technologies activities.  “MOVAR's exemplary environmental commitment, from reusing existing infrastructure to prioritizing advanced treatment technologies, demonstrates true leadership in sustainability. Together, we're protecting the Oslo Fjord, a beautiful and vital marine ecosystem, while recovering valuable resources like phosphorus and biogas for reuse. It's ecological transformation that's urgent, replicable, and profitable — proving environmental protection and resource recovery go hand in hand."

With construction work underway and commissioning scheduled for 2029, the upgraded Fuglevik facility will play a key role in improving treated wastewater quality, protecting the Oslo Fjord, and supporting sustainable urban development in the region.

______
ABOUT VEOLIA
Veolia group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with 215,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, to preserve available resources and to renew them. In 2024, the Veolia group provided 111 million inhabitants with drinking water and 98 million with sanitation, produced 42 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 65 million tonnes of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated revenue of 44.7 billion euros in 2024. 
www.veolia.com

As the world leader in water technologies and services, Veolia relies on its 17,500 water technology experts to deliver innovative solutions that drive both performance and sustainability, without compromise. With over 4,400 technology patents and serving more than 14,000 customers worldwide, Veolia’s water technology activities generated 4.97 billion euros in revenue in 2024. These solutions are central to Veolia’s GreenUp strategic plan, accelerating the ecological transformation of cities and industries while safeguarding resources for the future.