Water infrastructure and its financing

The plan requires that the state step in and take greater responsibility for the expansion of infrastructure and that redistribution to municipalities that cannot make ends meet increases. Examining the conditions for investments in the water system and removing obstacles hits exactly the situation the plan describes. The plan also establishes that incomes and costs shall be distributed solidaristically across the country, which speaks against the upgrading getting stuck in weak municipalities.

• state responsibility for infrastructuredecisive»Utbyggnaden av transportinfrastruktur och fiber går alldeles för sakta, staten behöver gå in och ta ett större ansvar för utbyggnaden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The expansion of transport infrastructure and fiber is going far too slowly, the state needs to step in and take greater responsibility for expansion.”
• increased redistribution to municipalities»Omfördelningen från stat till region och kommun måste öka och särskild hänsyn ska tas till de många kommuner och regioner som idag inte får ihop sin ekonomi« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Redistribution from state to region and municipality must increase and special attention shall be paid to the many municipalities and regions that today cannot make ends meet”
• solidaristic distribution of costs»Inkomster och kostnader behöver fördelas solidariskt över landet.« (party programme ↗)“Incomes and costs need to be distributed solidaristically across the country.”
• service throughout the country»Skola, vård, omsorg och annan service behöver fungera överallt.« (party programme ↗)“Schools, healthcare, care and other services need to work everywhere.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan promises continued increased state grants to municipalities and regions and demands clean water throughout Sweden and equivalent public services regardless of where one lives. The programme also sees infrastructure in all municipalities as an expression of practical solidarity. Removing obstacles to investment in water and sewerage networks when municipalities lack economic resources follows from these commitments.

• clean water throughout the countrydecisive»Giftfri miljö med ren luft och rent vatten i hela Sverige.« (party programme ↗)“Toxic-free environment with clean air and clean water throughout Sweden.”
• increased state grants»Vi vill fortsätta öka statens bidrag till kommuner och regioner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to continue increasing the state's contributions to municipalities and regions.”
• infrastructure in all municipalities»Investeringar i goda kommunikationer och en stark modern infrastruktur i samtliga kommuner« (party programme ↗)“Investment in good communications and strong modern infrastructure in all municipalities”
• equivalent service»God service och välfärd till medborgarna oavsett var i landet de bor.« (party programme ↗)“Good service and welfare for citizens regardless of where in the country they live.”

The plan wants to strengthen environmental adaptation of water and sewage systems to increase resilience against floods and droughts, and points to overloaded treatment plants as a growing risk. It also establishes that municipalities cannot bear the entire financial responsibility for necessary conversion investments without the state contributing. Removing obstacles to investments in the water-sewage network follows from these commitments.

• environmentally adapted water-sewage systemsdecisive»Vi i Miljöpartiet vill även stärka miljöanpassning av vatten- och avloppssystem för att öka resiliensen mot översvämningar och torka.« (party programme ↗)“We in the Green Party also want to strengthen environmental adaptation of water and sewage systems to increase resilience against floods and droughts.”
• treatment plants' vulnerability»Med fler former av extremväder ökar risken för minskade grundvattennivåer, överbelastade reningsverk och föroreningar i våra vattentäkter.« (party programme ↗)“With more forms of extreme weather, the risk increases for decreased groundwater levels, overloaded treatment plants, and pollution in our water sources.”
• the state shall contribute to investments»Kommuner kan inte bära hela det ekonomiska ansvaret för en sådan omställning – staten måste bidra.« (party programme ↗)“Municipalities cannot bear the entire financial responsibility for such a transition – the state must contribute.”
• sharp regulations for water»Det behövs skarpa regleringar av sådant som påverkar våra vatten negativt.« (party programme ↗)“Sharp regulations are needed for things that negatively affect our water.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan establishes that access to clean water is a fundamental right and that public services shall be close and reliable throughout the country, with equal conditions for all parts of the country. Reviewing investment conditions and removing obstacles when municipalities lack funds to upgrade sewage treatment plants follows from these commitments and from the goal of saving lakes and waterways. The plan does not address sewage rates or investment programmes, so the conclusion is derived.

• right to clean waterdecisive»Tillgång till rent vatten, ren luft och giftfri miljö är en fundamental rätt för alla människor« (party programme ↗)“Access to clean water, clean air and a poison-free environment is a fundamental right for all people”
• reliable services throughout the country»Offentlig service ska vara nära och pålitlig i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Public services should be close and reliable throughout the country.”
• cleaner water»Rädda Sveriges sjöar, vattendrag och hav.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Save Sweden's lakes, waterways and seas.”
• equal conditions»Alla delar av landet ska ges likvärdiga förutsättningar för utveckling och tillväxt.« (party programme ↗)“All parts of the country shall be given equal conditions for development and growth.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan states that everyone has the right to clean water and that drinking water supply must be secured, and that Sweden needs continued large investments in infrastructure. A neglected water and sewerage network threatens both commitments and also drives the nutrient leakage the plan wants to brake. Reviewing investment prerequisites and removing obstacles thereby follows from the plan.

• secured drinking water supplydecisive»Alla har rätt till rent vatten. Dricksvattenförsörjningen måste säkras och fler yt- och grundvattentäkter ges skydd.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone has the right to clean water. Drinking water supply must be secured and more surface and groundwater sources be given protection.”
• investments in infrastructure»Sverige behöver fortsatt stora investeringar i infrastruktur.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden needs continued large investments in infrastructure.”
• reduced nutrient leakage»Läckaget av näringsämnen från odlingsmark och hushåll ut i sjöar, vattendrag och hav behöver bromsas och hållbar återvinning av biologiskt avfall introduceras i bred skala.« (party programme ↗)“Leakage of nutrients from farmland and households into lakes, watercourses and sea needs to be braked and sustainable recycling of biological waste introduced on a broad scale.”
• clean water»Samtidigt behövs fortsatta insatser för att förhindra att skräp och föroreningar, som plast och läkemedel, sprids i våra vatten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, continued measures are needed to prevent rubbish and pollution, such as plastic and medicines, from spreading in our waters.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan states that it is a state task to support municipalities lacking sufficient tax base for their statutory obligations, and the subsidiarity principle requires the higher level to support where the lower level cannot manage the task. Water and sanitation supply is such a statutory obligation. Reviewing investment conditions and removing obstacles therefore lies in line with the plan's commitments.

• state support to weak municipalitiesdecisive»Det är en statlig uppgift att stödja kommuner som inte har ett tillräckligt skatteunderlag för« (party programme ↗)“It is a state task to support municipalities that do not have a sufficient tax base for”
• the support principle in subsidiarity»inte på ett ändamålsenligt sätt klarar av ska de större gemenskaperna ta ansvar för.« (party programme ↗)“cannot appropriately manage shall the larger communities take responsibility for.”
• municipal supply responsibility»Kommunerna ska ha det sociala ansvaret för att trygga bostadsförsörjningen för sina« (party programme ↗)“Municipalities shall have the social responsibility to secure housing provision for their”
• state municipal equalisation»Systemet för kommunal utjämning ska vara statligt och så utformat att konsekvenserna av« (party programme ↗)“The system for municipal equalisation shall be state-run and designed so that the consequences of”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The counter-proposal wants to review the preconditions for investment in water and sewerage networks and remove obstacles, since many municipalities cannot manage to upgrade treatment plants. The plan commits to investing in water purification and expansion of advanced water purification and to strengthen joint Baltic work against eutrophication, which presupposes functioning water and sewerage facilities. That the whole country shall function is also a stated starting point in the plan.

• expanded water purificationdecisive»Satsa på forskning om vattenrening samt utbyggnad av avancerad vattenrening« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in research on water purification and expansion of advanced water purification”
• reduced eutrophication»Förstärka det gemensamma Östersjöarbetet för åtgärder mot övergödning och nedskräpning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the joint Baltic work for measures against eutrophication and littering”
• functioning infrastructure throughout the country»Moderaterna vill ta vara på hela Sveriges möjligheter. Men ska det gå att bo och verka i hela Sverige måste också hela Sverige fungera.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Moderate Party wants to make use of Sweden's opportunities. But for it to be possible to live and work in the whole of Sweden, the whole of Sweden must also function.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan establishes that municipalities must be given increased support and help in environmental work and identifies eutrophication and the situation in the Baltic Sea as serious, with demands for increased pace in restoring the marine environment. Reviewing the conditions for investments in water and sewerage infrastructure and removing obstacles for municipalities lacking resources to upgrade treatment plants serves both these commitments. The plan also calls for simpler processes in this area.

• support for municipalities' environmental workdecisive»Kommunerna måste ges ökat stöd och hjälp i miljöarbetet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Municipalities must be given increased support and help in environmental work.”
• reduced eutrophication»Situationen vad gäller övergödning och gifter i Östersjön är allvarligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The situation regarding eutrophication and toxins in the Baltic Sea is serious.”
• restored marine environment»Öka takten i arbetet med att återställa havsmiljön i Östersjön« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the pace of work to restore the marine environment in the Baltic Sea”
• simpler processes»Anpassa och förenkla regler och processer för planering och byggnation« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Adapt and simplify rules and processes for planning and construction”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.