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The clever thing about Vattenresurs technology is that it doesn’t EU directive adopted in Swedish law has stipulated that all lakes more
just pour polyaluminium chloride into the water, but adds it to the
bottom sediment in lakes using hoses towed behind a boat. Most of
the phosphorus is found in the bottom sediment, and that’s where
the treatment is most beneficial. Vattenresurs is the only company in
Sweden doing this, and the technology is patented.
“Vattenresurs was founded back in the 1990s by two private
individuals who discovered the technology in the US. The company
has been cleaning Swedish lakes successfully ever since, albeit on a
relatively small scale as a small business. Now that Feralco has taken
over the company, we have the resources and the backing we need in
order to expand. We’re now building two more boats and will have four
boats operating by summer 2022,” says Göran Andersson.
IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Although the results of the treatment can be seen immediately, it can
take a year or more to clean an entire lake. And there are hundreds
of lakes in need of this treatment in Sweden. Most Vattenresurs
customers are local authorities, and the business is heavily dependent are assignments worth up to SEK 70 million in the pipeline. One major
on how local authorities prioritise nature conservation. However, an
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than half a square kilometre in size must have good water quality by
2027, and this has boosted priorities.
“The administrative process can be lengthy even though there is
increasing desire to prioritise the cleaning of lakes. Temporary building
permits, exemptions from shore protection and the like may be needed,
and it takes time to obtain these. We may sometimes be unable to
get started the same season even if a local authority has earmarked a
budget for water treatment for a year,” says Göran Andersson.
This is what happened to Vattenresurs in 2020. Not all projects
scheduled could take place in 2021 as a result. The company’s turnover
of SEK 25 million in 2020 dropped to SEK 15 million in 2021, and the
profit was zero.
Lead times are now longer, and the company is expecting to have
a full workload in 2022. A turnover of SEK 30 million is budgeted.
Discussions are in progress with local authorities for 2023, and there
upcoming project is the treatment of Drevviken, a 5.4 square kilometre
lake just south of Stockholm.
Marketing Manager
Göran Andersson