– It is simply sad, says Johnny Thanke. In Vikanfjæra on Andenes in Nordland, there are three pipes down to the water’s edge. The shore is just a few meters from the property of Thanke and several other residents. Here children play, here tourists bathe, and unfiltered sewage flows from the pipes. TIRED: Johnny Thanke is tired of the sewer running out into Vikanfjæra just below his house on Andenes. Photo: Johnny Thanke – This is not new, it was like that when I grew up 40 years ago too. There are no signs in the area that say anything about sewage flowing straight into the shore here, so many probably do not know about it, says Thanke. – There is probably no doubt that it is harmful to health. We use the shore a lot, but have to wash and scrub the kids when they get home, he says. Earlier this week, one of the pipes had become clogged. When the plug came loose, it looked like this: – There is no such flow of sewage all the time, but it happens regularly. And when that happens, there is a smell of sewage in the whole area, Thanke says. MDG has raised it several times Malin Abrahamsen in MDG also reacts to the conditions in the so-called «sewer shore». – This is a well-known problem that is not addressed. We have raised it in the municipal council for several years, says Abrahamsen. – Even though it is not a question of large amounts of sewage, it is problematic for several reasons. It is problematic in terms of public health, it is not lucky for Andøy as a tourist municipality, and it is an environmental problem. In 2007, new rules were introduced for sewage treatment. news was able to reveal a few years ago that many Norwegian municipalities still continue to sin when it comes to sewage treatment: According to figures from Statistics Norway, more than half of the population was connected to facilities where the treatment requirements are not met in 2020. 6 percent of Norwegian sewage networks do not have treatment at all. The municipality: Should not be like Andøy municipality promised, in a Facebook update, to actually do something about the problems in 2019. But the shit still flows freely almost three years later. – I agree that this is a problem. The municipality recognizes that it should not be like that in 2022. But this is one of several Gordian knots that Andøy municipality must solve, says councilor Andreas Jordell. Jordell says that the municipality’s master plan for water and sewerage has been delayed, but that some work has nevertheless been completed. The municipality has done an extensive job on the west side of Andøy, where conditions have improved. But on the east side, where Vikanfjæra is located, not much has happened. According to the councilor, it will be complicated to solve the challenges here. – The problem is that the outlet lines are too short, so that the outlet is left open at low tide. The combination of short runs and large differences between high and low tide, is difficult in this case. It is preferred that drains should be terminated two meters below the lowest low tide, says Jordell. – But it is almost impossible to achieve on this side of Andenes. It is challenging geotechnical conditions and deep sand that cause longer pipes to sink into the sand. There is also a lot of current in the sea, which means that longer pipes are quickly filled with seaweed and rock, or in the worst case, destroyed. He believes that sending the sewage to the sea is in any case preferable in pig-ridden areas – such as Andøya. The sea is a good recipient, says Jordell. – Establishing complete treatment plants is very complicated and very costly. – Difficult to outline a solution When and how the problem in Vikanfjæra will be solved, the councilor does not dare say anything about now. – It is difficult to outline a solution. What is certain is that this will be relatively complicated. – But you promised to solve this already in 2019? – What the Facebook post was really about was that a master plan for water and sewage should be established. In continuation of this, work is being done to repair drains around the whole of Andøy. But any immediate stop to the problems in Vikanbukta is not realistic.
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Here the sewer flows straight out to the shore. Andøy municipality promised to fix it three years ago. – news Nordland
