Selection of water and sanitation systems
Course description
The purpose of the course is to provide a good overview and ability to analyse the society's water and sewage system and thereby a good basis for future activity as an engineer in the field. The course forms a cohesive part of the semester block "Sustainable water and sewage systems" and runs throughout the semester. The course includes a larger project work.
Entry Requirements
\- 70 credits in Technology
\- 15 credits in Chemistry
\- 10 credits in Biology and
\- 15 credits in Soil Science or 15 credits Earth Sciences
Knowledge on advanced level equivalent to 20 credits in distribution and treatment of drinking water, automatic control, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and on-site wastewater systems, nutrient recovery and sewage sludge treatment (see also Other information).
Knowledge in English equivalent to Swedish Upper Secondary School (English 6).
Swedish equivalent to the general entry requirements for courses or study programmes that begin in the first cycle and that are intended for new entrants to higher education.
Course facts
TN0372, Selection of water and sanitation systems, 10.0 Hp
Print syllabus
Syllabus
Finalized by: PN-NJ, 2024-11-15
Valid from : Autumn semester 2025 (2025-09-01)
Level
Second cycle (A1F)
Main field of study
Technology
Grading Scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Course language
Swedish
Entry Requirements
\- 70 credits in Technology
\- 15 credits in Chemistry
\- 10 credits in Biology and
\- 15 credits in Soil Science or 15 credits Earth Sciences
Knowledge on advanced level equivalent to 20 credits in distribution and treatment of drinking water, automatic control, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and on-site wastewater systems, nutrient recovery and sewage sludge treatment (see also Other information).
Knowledge in English equivalent to Swedish Upper Secondary School (English 6).
Swedish equivalent to the general entry requirements for courses or study programmes that begin in the first cycle and that are intended for new entrants to higher education.
Objectives
The course gives the student a holistic understanding and ability to analyse society’s water and wastewater systems with a focus on sustainable solutions.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to
- Critically evaluate and analyze water and wastewater systems, i.e. their flows of water, plant nutrients and contaminants, health-related risks, accessibility, and their impact on resource use and the environment
- Develop a strategy for local sustainability adaption of a water or wastewater system and evaluate the consequences of the proposed solutions based on different sustainability perspectives – environmental, economic and social
- Collaborate in a group to define the goal of a water or wastewater related project, plan the project with help of relevant tools and scientific literature and implement it within a given schedule
- Present orally and in writing the results of the project in a way that is well suited to the target group
- Reflect on how one's own actions, knowledge and values in different roles can impact decision-making processes in society's water and wastewater systems.
Content
Subject-related content
Through lectures, literature and project assignments, the following contents are treated in the course:
- The impact of the water and sanitation system on health, environment and resources, including basic risk assessments
- Criteria for evaluating sustainable water and sanitation systems including impact on environmental, economic and social sustainability aspects, where social aspects include equality, equal conditions and accessibility
- Methods for evaluation and analysis of water and sanitation systems, e.g. substance flow analysis, life cycle analysis and multi-criteria analysis
- Tools for planning and implementing water and wastewater projects in collaboration with others
- Relevant laws and regulations in Sweden and the EU
- Methods for cost calculation of water and wastewater systems
- Sustainable water supply and wastewater treatment – challenges in Sweden and internationally
- Reflections on how new solutions promote sustainable development in the short and long term.
Teaching formats
To further student learning and promote discussion, a variety of methods are used, including:
- Scheduled activities: lectures, student-centered workshop, supervision and presentation of project work, examination and evaluation
- Group activities outside of scheduled times: group assignments
- Individual studies outside of scheduled times: literature studies.
Implementation, reporting and presenting a water and sanitation project is a central part of the course. The project can involve investigations of:
- water and sanitation services for peri-urban areas or individual households,
- improvement of performance of treatments plant or piping networks,
- increasing resource recovery in a water and wastewater system,
- optimizing the control system for an activated sludge process, or
- evaluation of future solutions for water and sanitation services.
The course focuses on the following generic competencies:
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Scientific methods
- Written and oral communication
- Teamwork
The following moments are compulsory:
- Participation in a number of workshops (see grading criteria)
- Presentation of project work
Collaboration with the surrounding community takes place through:
- Guest lecturers from the water and wastewater sector
- Project work connected to actual cases, sometimes with clients from the sector.
Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course
Passed examination, passed implementation and written and oral presentation of the project work, and approved participation in compulsory parts of the course.
Responsible Department/Equivalent
Department of Energy and Technology
Supplementary information
Included in program
- Master Programme in Environmental and Water Engineering
Module set
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Exam | 2.0 | 0001 |
| Project | 8.0 | 0002 |
The Course Replaces
TE0021
Other Information
The course is conducted in collaboration with the departments of Information technology and Geosciences, Uppsala University. The course is part of the semester block "Sustainable water and sewage systems" for the Master of Science in Environmental and Water Engineering program and is intended to be taken only with other courses in this block.
The requirement for knowledge at advanced level can be fulfilled by taking the courses 1TV447 Drinking water preparation and pipelines, 1RT002 Process control, 1TV451 Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and TN0363 On-site wastewater systems and resource recovery during the current semester.