AnoxKaldnes to deliver world's biggest MBBR system to Käppala

AnoxKaldnes, the world leader in moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) based solutions, will supply its renowned space-saving and capacity-increasing solution to support the upgrade of Käppalaverket (Käppala wastewater treatment plant) in Lidingö in Sweden, owned by Käppalaförbundet (Käppala Association). The plant treats wastewater from more than half a million people in 11 member municipalities north and east of Stockholm.  

AnoxKaldnes has signed a contract with NCC, one of the leading construction companies in the Nordic Region.  NCC will utilize its complex project expertise for the execution of the construction and implementation of the new treatment works. 

The Käppala wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is facing an increased load from affiliated municipalities combined with stricter emission requirements. The Käppala Association, therefore, plans to expand the capacity of the plant to cope with an incoming load corresponding to 900,000 population equivalent (p.e.) in 2050 and meet the new emission permit that will enter into force in 2026.

When completed, the Käppala WWTP will be the largest MBBR system in the world. Each line of the existing system is approximately 18,000 m3 in volume and it will be divided into nine individual zones in order to meet the challenging new requirements thanks to the efficiency of AnoxKaldnes™ MBBR systems the five MBBR lines will be treating 80% of the incoming pollutant load and flow.

The Käppala WWTP is built underground and the AS lines are blasted from the bedrock meaning that the walls of each line are exposed to raw bedrock. AnoxKaldnes was able to provide its patented AnoxK5X™ carrier which is proven to be ten times more durable than competing solutions. Logistics, MBBR carrier durability, and expertise were three of the key reasons why AnoxKaldnes was selected to be the delivery partner for this project. 

Jacob Bruus, CEO of Veolia Water Technologies AB which includes AnoxKaldnes, shared: “To be part of a great team working on this huge scale project to improve the environment in our own country makes me really proud — this is a historical win for AnoxKaldnes.”