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Case

Water management

A basin connected approach to sustainable groundwater abstraction, Greater Copenhagen Area

28. October 2020
Groundwater

Solution provider

HOFOR

HOFOR supplies one million customers in the Copenhagen metropolitan area with drinking water, district heating, district cooling, town gas and disposal of wastewater. We erect wind turbines and we own the Amagerværket power station, which produces electricity and district heating.

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The abstraction of approx. 55 mio. m3/year takes place from 54 well fields located across 21 municipalities. Consequently, the water supply to the Greater Copenhagen area depends on a close and trustful collaboration between the water utility and these basin connected municipalities in terms of licensing and groundwater protection.
Behind the licenses to abstract groundwater lies years of negotiation and joint planning between HOFOR (Greater Copenhagen Water utility) and the municipalities.

Through the water tariff, the consumers in the Greater Copenhagen area finance groundwater protection measures such as afforestation, regulation of the use of pesticides and information campaigns. To a certain extent, groundwater abstraction affects surface ecosystems, water flow in streams and the groundwater quality. A sustainable abstraction of groundwater is thus important to reduce these impacts. At the same time, consumers expect a stable and safe supply of drinking water.

HOFOR therefore carries out comprehensive monitoring and risk assessment in close dialogue with the municipalities to secure a stable, healthy and sustainable supply.