MUSTBE Project for a Cleaner Baltic Sea through Innovative Stormwater Management

Status: Ongoing projects

The stormwater treatment has been a tangible challenge along the Baltic Sea region. To contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable Baltic Sea, the Interreg Central Baltic funded MUSTBE project is now taking first steps towards a positive change by developing and implementing nature-based solutions in seven pilot sites in four countries: Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and Latvia.

Stormwater represents a significant challenge along the coasts of the Baltic Sea. In the core of the problem is poor ecological and chemical status of the Baltic Sea. Extreme weather conditions in recent years have highlighted the need for more effective stormwater treatment.

The Interreg MUSTBE project is addressing this challenge. Through cross-border co-operation novel multi-benefit stormwater treatment systems will be developed. The goal is to decrease the inflow of hazardous substances, nutrients, toxins, and pathogens reaching Baltic Sea from 7 pilot sites in 4 countries: 1 in Tallinn, Estonia; 1 in Viimsi, Estonia; 2 in Pori, Finland; 1 in Riga, Latvia; 2 in Söderhamn, Sweden.

The aim is to combine nature-based stormwater solutions with digital solutions.  As result, stormwater treatment efficacy and municipalities capacity to monitor the actual quality of the stormwater is improved. The cross-border co-operation will ensure the necessary technological innovation that is in focus within visioned stormwater solutions. Simultaneously the replication of the technological innovation on international level is ensured.

The project integrates three main areas of stormwater treatment: 1) purification and reuse of storm water close to the source and 2) managing-controlling of storm water fluxes during the rain events and 3) monitoring of hazardous substances, nutrients and toxins found in built-up areas.

Striving for Greener, Resilient Future

While MUSTBE goals are ambitious, they are doable: novel and multi-benefit smart nature-based solutions are expected to deliver pollutant removal efficiencies of at least 60% for suspended solids, 30% for total Nitrogen, 60% for pathogens (e-Coli), 50% for hydrocarbons (oil products), 40% for metals.

As result of the project, municipalities and cities in the Central Baltic area have digital and technical solutions for multi-objective storm water planning. Through improved, data-based decision-making and management of the urban water cycle, the pluvial flooding risk decreases and the water quality at the storm water outlets gets improved and, consequently, citizen’s urban environment is also more resilient.

FACT BOX

• The MUSTBE project is EU-funded project developing multidimensional stormwater treatment in urban areas for cleaner Baltic Sea
• It is a collaboration of eight partners in four countries:
  • Municipality of Viimsi, Estonia
  • Municipality of Tallinn, Estonia
  • Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
  • Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Finland
  • Municipality of Pori, Finland
  • Municipality of Söderhamn, Sweden
  • Municipality of Riga, Latvia
  • Riga Technical University, Latvia
• The project will run from 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2026.
• Total budget is €3 980 476 of which 3 184 380 is funded from the Interreg Central Baltic Programme

For detailed information, please visit https://centralbaltic.eu/project/mustbe/18-about-project/.