Instructions

Primary contact in case of disruptions (water pipe leaks, water meter leaks, problems with water quality or taste, etc.):

tel. +358 5 749 2777 (on weekdays Mon – Thu at 8-15.00 and Fri 8-11.00)

tel. +358 5 749 2001 (outside working hours)

Water quality problems

If you notice changes in the water quality, Haminan Vesi recommends running cold water for about 15 to 20 minutes.

• If the water is brown and it does not clear up by running, the water may contain iron deposits from sources such as the plumbing in the building. Deposits may also get into water during repairs or water supply interruptions in the water network.
• The greyness in the water is air, which is harmless. The water becomes clear when it stands for a while in a glass.
• There can be a stale taste in the water if there has been only little water consumption in the building and the water has stagnated in the water pipes of the building. The taste improves by running water.

Water supply interruptions

• Haminan Vesi primarily informs about un-foreseeable water supply interruptions on its website, regionally by text message and, if necessary, on its Facebook page. You can prepare for an interruption by keeping a portable container suitable for clean drinking water at home, for example, a 10-liter canister, which you can use to fetch water if the interruption is prolonged.
• Water supply interruptions that are known beforehand are informed on our website and by text message sent to each property or a bulletin distributed to the mailbox. It is recommended, for example, to go to shower and prepare food before the interruption.
• The water faucet connected to a washing machine must be closed during the water supply interruption, and the machine can only be switched on when the water is again colourless and clear.
• Accumulated deposits may come off the network after water supply interruptions. These released deposits can cause cloudiness and discolouration in the water. To eliminate the disadvantages, the water utility recommends running the water until it becomes clear. The water utility does not compensate for the running of water in properties immediately after an interruption, nor does it pay for damaged laundry. Water should be run from the faucets until the water becomes clear.

Frozen water meter

You can recognise a frozen water meter by the fact that no water comes out of a faucet, the water meter leaks abundantly or the glass of the water meter is cracked. The water meter is the property of the water utility, so if you suspect that it has frozen, you must contact Haminan Vesi. The water utility always replaces a damaged water meter. The owner of the property pays for a broken water meter. In order to prevent the situation the owner of the property must make sure that the meter does not freeze.

Sewer odour and overflow

• A slight odour caused by sewage pumping stations is normal. As an example, a power outage or other exceptional situation may cause an overflow. If you notice this, please contact the water utility.
• If the sewer in the building becomes blocked, the sewer may smell or make a strange noise, or sewage may rise from floor drains and toilet bowls. This is often a disturbance situation in the building itself. Sewer smell in the property can also be caused by a dry or dirty floor drain, in which case the harm can be removed by running water into the sewer and cleaning the drain. If the problem does not go away, contact either the water utility or a company that offers sewage clearing services.

In order to secure its services, Haminan Vesi co-operates with parties such as supervisory authorities, and regularly takes water samples in its own area of operation.

In addition to its website and Facebook page, Haminan Vesi also provides information about water outages and other possible disruptions via text message service.

If you have a publicly available phone number, you do not need to register it in order to receive possible notification of a disturbance situation.

If you have a secret phone number or work connection, you must register your phone number to receive text messages. The owner of a rental or vacation home, summer cottage, etc. can also register their phone number. You can order messages from several addresses.

We automatically send a text message to residents over the age of 16 whose phone number and address are public.

Keep enough drinking water and clean storage containers for water at home.

Avoid unnecessary water use during a power outage to prevent sewage from flooding. Sewage pumping stations operate on electricity and sewage water accumulates in the network and dams up if the pumping stations are not working.

Follow the current instructions published on the website.

Prevent the water meter from freezing on the property.

If you have your own property-specific sewage or stormwater pumping station, check its functionality after a power outage.

The water meter reading of mechanical meters, which are not remote readable, must be submitted for billing purposes at least once a year. The reading can be submitted by using the meter reading card sent by Haminan Vesi, by telephone, by email or by using the website of Haminan Vesi.

The water meter reading to be provided is the number of full water cubic metres (m3); one cubic metre is 1,000 litres of water. The number of the metering point and water meter can be found in the meter reading card or water bill.

It is important to submit the meter reading, because the annual consumption of the property is assessed and the annual balancing bills are drawn up on the basis of the readings. Moreover, unusual differences in the annual consumption may reveal potential leaks in the property quickly. A leak can also be detected if the water meter turns even if no water is running from any tap.

In some cases, the meter can also be read by the water utility. In this case, there is a separate fee for the reading in accordance with the service charge list.

Water consumption and changes in it must be monitored by the customer also in properties where a remotely readable meter is installed. Digital water meters work online and are powered by a built-in battery. These meters can be read remotely and they send a consumption reading at least once a day.

If the digital display of the remote-readable water meter is darkened or dim, Haminan Vesi must be notified.