Water will not run out in Finland, but unnecessarily excessive consumption should still be avoided.
The average Heka resident uses 152 litres of tap water per day. It is close to the average for all Finns, but the Ministry of the Environment, for example, has set a maximum usage target of 100–120 litres per day. At the current rate, 60 litres per day is spent on washing oneself, 40 litres on flushing the toilet, 35 litres in the kitchen and 20 litres on laundry. You can monitor the average per capita water consumption in your property on your property’s own website.
Water charges and meters
Although the price of a litre of water is small, water consumption is a significant cost item on an annual basis, which also contributes to Heka’s rents. The energy used for heating cold water also costs money. Reducing water consumption and opting for cold water over hot water where possible are excellent ways to reduce the costs reflected in rents.
In buildings with apartment-specific water meters, the tenant usually pays a water charge according to their water consumption. If there is no apartment-specific water meter, water is included in the rent. A Heka representative comes to read the meter when necessary.
Water saving tips
- Submit a defect notification on leaking taps and plumbing fixtures as soon as you notice the leak. A leaky tap could waste as much as hundreds of litres of water per month.
- A quick shower saves both money and the environment. Even if you shower briefly, turn off the water flow when soaping yourself and washing your hair.
- Wash full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher. The dishwasher consumes less water than washing dishes by hand. If you wash dishes by hand, use the sink instead of washing under running water.
- Watering yard and balcony plants should be done on a cloudy day, early in the morning or at sunset. This prevents a proportion of the water from evaporating into the air under the hot sun. Water the soil directly at the base of the plant so that the water goes directly to the root system. Choose self-watering pots on the balcony. Did you know that the water in Helsinki is soft? Therefore, use detergent according to the lowest dosage instructions.
Water outages
Maintenance and repair work on the property or in the area’s water supply network may interrupt water supply. Maintenance and repair work on the heat distribution system may cut off the hot water supply. If no water comes out of the tap and no water outage has been announced in advance, proceed as follows:
- Check the regional office section on Heka’s website for information on a water outage in your building and instructions for its duration.
- Cold water supply is the responsibility of Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY. Check hsy.fi/vesikatkot (in Finnish) to see whether there is an interruption in the supply of cold water in your area. There you can also find out where you can find a temporary water supply point, if one has been provided.
- If the tap provides cold water but not hot, this is probably due to a failure in heat distribution. Wait for the outage to pass.