Large, necessary investments to better treat wastewater and ensure clean drinking water in Oslo will result in an increase in water and wastewater rates in 2024.
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The commune is obliged to provide residents with clean drinking water, sewage treatment, garbage collection and disposal, and regular inspection of fireplaces. The fees residents pay for water and sewage, cleaning and inspections of fireplaces must cover the municipality's expenses for providing these services.
The fees consist of different parts. The increase is NOK 1047 per year for an average house of 87 square meters. The annual waste collection fee is increasing on average by about NOK 60 annually. The fee for a fireplace inspection increases from NOK 102 to NOK 250.
Fees must include
- Operating expenses: Expenses for labor, machinery and equipment, maintenance, materials and electricitythat are necessary to provide the service.
- Investments: Expenditures on the construction of new facilities necessary to provide the service. Investments are financed by loans, and interest rates also influence expenses.
Increase in water and sewage disposal fees. Fees will continue to increase in the following years
Water fee i sewage disposal increases by about 20 percent. Much of the growth is due to necessary investment and maintenance.
- Better sewage treatment plants: sewage must be treated before water can be discharged into the fjord. Oslo's sewage treatment plants did not have sufficient capacity and good enough treatment to properly treat the wastewater from the growing population. Nitrogen and phosphorus emissions lead to, among other things, algal blooms that choke marine life. Therefore, in recent years, sewage treatment plants have been significantly expanded and improved, providing both better treatment and greater efficiency. . To ensure good water quality in the Oslofjord, good treatment is necessary.
- Safer drinking water supply: Oslo has had a poor drinking water supply for several decades because Oslo is dependent on a single source of drinking water. Currently, the municipality is building a new, backup water source for Oslo. The construction of a new water pipeline means that water and sewage fees will continue to increase in the coming years. The construction of a new water pipeline in Oslo is a state requirement.
- Pipe renovation: Water and sewage pipes in Oslo are among the most extensive, but also the oldest, in Norway. There are many leaks and the wiring requires constant replacement and modernization. Pipes are now being regenerated at a faster rate than before. The cable network also needs to adapt to a future of more frequent, heavy rainfall.
Interest costs constitute an important part of the water and sewage fees. When the interest rate increases, it affects the fee. The loan interest rate is expected to increase, which will likely result in a further increase in the water and sewage fees for 2024.
Increase in the fee for inspection of fireplaces
The fee for inspection of fireplaces increases from NOK 102 to NOK 250 per year. The annual supervision amount is only paid for houses equipped with, for example, a fireplace and/or wood-burning stove.
The main reason for the large increase is a reduction in the fee in 2023 to correct for payments higher than previously actual costs. This has now been adjusted through the 2023 payment and the 2024 fee has been set at a level that will cover actual costs going forward.
The fee covers the costs of a fireplace monitoring agency. This fee does not include chimney cleaning and soot removal. If cleaning is required, this is charged separately.
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Source: Municipality of Oslo
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