Our history

Swedish Hydro Solutions was founded in 2013 by Jakob Sjöberg, whose background in environmental science and experience in developing water treatment technologies in the United States shaped the foundation of the company. From the very beginning, it was clear that Sweden and Europe lacked effective methods for water treatment — despite the fact that proven technologies were already being used elsewhere in the world.

When the EU introduced its Water Framework Directive, there was effectively no method available in Europe that could treat dewatering, stormwater, or process water to the required quality standards. As a result, authorities were forced to issue numerous exemptions, allowing insufficiently treated water to be discharged into Swedish watercourses. In other cases, water had to be transported off‑site to landfills for disposal — an option that was both costly and inefficient. Some large projects relied on complex chemical treatment methods that posed risks to both the environment and human health. The situation was similar across much of Europe.

In the United States, development had taken a different path. The Clean Water Act was introduced as early as the 1970s, and by the 1980s the requirements for treating construction‑related water had become significantly stricter. The law — one of the world’s most stringent when it comes to dewatering and stormwater — does not allow exemptions or the use of environmentally hazardous flocculation chemicals. At that time, because no effective method existed to meet the requirements, earthworks in the northwestern U.S. were halted during the five rainiest months of the year. These legal requirements accelerated technological innovation, and one of the individuals who took on the challenge was John Macpherson.

He developed a method based on chitosan — a substance derived from crab shells and also used in healthcare to coagulate blood. Chitosan proved highly effective for water flocculation. The technology was certified by state authorities and written into the regulations, which made year‑round earthworks possible.

The method worked well but was both costly and complex. Because it had been established as the approved standard, there was little incentive in the U.S. to simplify or improve the technology further.

In collaboration with John Macpherson, Swedish Hydro Solutions refined the method with the goal of creating a solution better suited to European needs: simpler, more efficient, and more cost‑effective. In 2015, the solution was introduced to the Swedish market.

Since then, we have enabled Swedish companies to meet the EU Water Framework Directive and carry out their projects without unnecessary obstacles — focusing on effective water treatment, practical solutions, and long‑term sustainability.