Drinking water in the City of Malmö

The quality of the drinking water in Malmö is very high. It tastes delicious and only costs a few öre per litre. The drinking water distribution network under the city of Malmö is approximately 900 kilometres.

The drinking water quality in Malmö is continually tested through sampling and analyses, from a both microbiological and chemical point of view.

Sampling is taken from the treated water as it leaves the water treatment works, on approximately 250 occasions every year. Sampling is also taken from other test sites throughout Malmö, on approximately 550 occasions per year. The extensive sampling guarantees a constant, high water quality.

THE WATER COMES FROM VOMBSJÖN AND THE GREVIE GROUNDWATER CATCHMENT

80 per cent of the drinking water in Malmö comes from Vombsjön. The water is purified at the Water Treatment Works at Vombsjön. It is filtered through layers of sand, 20-25 metres thick, for almost three months.

Bacteria and other dirt are filtered out and the water becomes clean. This method for purifying water is called artificial infiltration. The idea is to create artificial groundwater.

About 20 per cent of the drinking water supply in Malmö is groundwater and comes from the Grevie groundwater catchment (Alnarpsströmmen).

When the water has been purified from bacteria and dirt, the next step is to remove iron and manganese. They are not dangerous to drink, but could leave stains on your laundry and make the water taste like metal.

The water goes into the Vomb Water Treatment Works (Vombverket), owned by Sydvatten. Here the water is softened, which means that the dissolved calcium (lime) concentration is reduced. After softening, the water hardness degree is approximately 6°dH (German hardness degrees).

Sydvatten’s website, new window opens

Malmö has four water towers in use:
Hyllie, Oxie, Botildenborg and Södervärn. The water temperature in the towers is 8 degrees Celsius, to keep it cool and fresh.

MALMÖ’S DRINKING WATER TASTES THE BEST IN SKÅNE!

When the result of the regional final in the competition "Sweden’s Best Tasting Tap Water" was announced in the autumn of 2005, the Malmö supporters were delighted when their home team won!

Malmö was appointed the winner, together with Höganäs. The jury’s opinion was: A clean water in perfect balance between calcium, iron, softness and harshness. Neutral with a fine Scanian profile.