Water

FCG is a leading expert in drinking water in Finland, where the quality of water ranks among the best in the world. Maintaining this quality requires effort: it demands continuous upkeep of treatment and distribution systems, skills development and robust risk management. We provide the tools and expertise for designing treatment and distribution systems, managing drinking-water quality risks, and organising monitoring and reporting.

Our services cover selecting and sizing treatment processes for different raw-water sources, efficiency studies and process design, and drinking-water risk assessment using the Water Safety Plan (WSP) approach. We carry out corrosion studies, managed-aquifer-recharge assessments and the preparation of regulatory monitoring programmes. We also offer drinking-water sampling and analysis in co-operation with accredited laboratories.

Expert process design enables safe, high-quality drinking-water services. Raw water may contain undesirable substances such as metals, pesticides or radon; suitable treatment can be identified through pilot-plant testing. In our experience, pilots for biological metal removal, activated-carbon treatment and membrane filtration perform well – and on that basis we design the optimal treatment train for each source.

Ageing water and sewer networks – and the associated renewal backlog – are challenges for many Finnish municipalities. Finland has around 100,000 km of water mains and 50,000 km of sewers operated by roughly 1,400 utilities. Much of the infrastructure is old and needs rehabilitation: about 6,000 km of the water-main network is in very poor condition. Annual water losses (non-revenue water) are about 58 million cubic metres, equating to roughly €100 million each year.

FCG is a nationwide expert designer for rehabilitation and new-build projects in water and wastewater networks. A key focus is sewer-network design, where bottlenecks and flood-prone locations are identified through hydraulic modelling. Network models also enable flood assessments for intense rainfall and snowmelt scenarios.

We are Finland’s leading specialist in utility networks, with a team of around 30 experts offering capability in modelling, concept and detailed design. Our services include water-services development plans, network modelling and design, stormwater-system modelling, and client-side/owner’s-engineer services for municipal engineering projects. In all our work we consider environmental impacts, existing municipal infrastructure and the built environment.

Water towers, the elevated service reservoirs that maintain network pressure and storage are central to water distribution and, as prominent structures, shape their surroundings. Many towers are now due for refurbishment or replacement and require attention. Our specialists help determine current condition and plan the necessary repairs, without neglecting architectural quality.

FCG is an experienced partner for all water-tower projects. Our services include the design of new towers and condition surveys and refurbishment design for existing assets. Working in a multidisciplinary team, we help clients deliver reliable towers that fit their setting and are built to last.

Each refurbishment project is planned case by case on the basis of thorough investigations. It is also an opportunity to renew the tower’s appearance. We have designed architecturally distinctive towers such as the Kievari water tower in Tuusula, the Nikkilä water tower in Sipoo and the Vaasi tower in Kirkkonummi. Our new water tower in Klaukkala drew praise in the local media for its pine-cone-like form.

Traditionally, stormwater (surface-water) management has focused on flood control and efficient drainage. Climate change and increasing urban density bring new challenges – yet well-designed stormwater features can also create recreational value and support urban biodiversity. High-quality stormwater management can be part of a pleasant, sustainable urban fabric.

FCG helps you tackle stormwater challenges and find the right solution for each context, with future change in mind. We have worked in stormwater planning for 20 years, from city-wide stormwater strategies to the design of individual assets. Effective stormwater management calls for specialist, multidisciplinary expertise in urban hydrology, geotechnics and landscape design.

We offer a broad team of professionals specialising in stormwater issues, supported by leading tools for CAD design, modelling and GIS. Our services include municipal needs assessments, stormwater strategies, catchment-scale hydrological modelling, detailed management plans, and integrating stormwater management into land-use planning. The best results come when stormwater is considered at every level of spatial planning.

Nutrient loading to lakes, rivers and the Baltic Sea, the presence of micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals and endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), and industrial discharges all require high-quality wastewater treatment. FCG brings fresh perspectives and practical solutions, designing new wastewater treatment works and preparing studies on treated effluent, processes and environmental impacts.

Our services cover concept, outline and detailed design for treatment works; expert operational support; process comparisons and upgrade studies; and the preparation of environmental permit applications. We are Finland’s most experienced designer of underground wastewater treatment works, with rock-cavern facilities designed in Helsinki, Tampere, Espoo, Turku, Lahti, Nurmijärvi and Mikkeli. The underground Blominmäki works in Espoo, designed by FCG, won the 2022 RIL Award.