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AS Tallinna Vesi’s operational performance during 2021

News Provided by GlobeNewswire2022-01-19

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In 2021, Tallinna Vesi’s quality indicators wereonceagain at a high level. The reliability of the network was maintained, and we also achieved good results in drinking waterand wastewater quality indicators. In 2021, theCompany reconstructed an all-time record volume of16 000 mofwater and sewer pipes.2021 also saw the completion of a number of large investmentsat the treatment plants.

Consistentlyhighquality oftap water

The quality of drinking water in Tallinn remains high – water samples taken from customers’ taps during 2021 were 99.6% compliant with all requirements. A total of 3058 water samples were taken from customers’ taps last year (2020: 3099) and only 12 did not meet the requirements. Consistently high quality of tap water is ensured with the development and maintenance of the water network across the service area.

“2021 was a record-breaking year for the Company in terms of network reconstruction – we renovated 7500 meters more water pipes and sewers than a year before,” said Aleksandr Timofejev, Chief Executive Officer of AS Tallinna Vesi. The pipes were reconstructed on Kadaka Boulevard, on the streets of Poska, Sirbi and Erika, and on Mustamäe, Kohila and Mustakivi Roads. “The investments made will further ensure that the residents are provided with high-quality drinking water and will help us keep the natural environment around us clean,” Timofejev added. In order to maintain a consistently high water quality, the Company also modernized a pumping station in Õismäe and carried out renovation on filters at the water treatment plant.

To provide a reliable and uninterrupted service, the Company monitors the average duration of the water interruption. In 2021, the average water disruption per property lasted 3 hours and 19 minutes. In addition to planned water interruptions, also interruptions caused by accidents occur. In order to have them causing as little inconvenience as possible, Tallinna Vesi aims to notify its customers about unplanned water interruptions at least 1 hour before the interruption. In 2021, customers received notices of unplanned interruptions at least 1 hour before in 98.7% of cases.

In 2021, the leakage rate was higher than a year ago (15%). This was mainly caused by a large number of hidden leakages, which took longer to detect, and by exceptional weather conditions during the year.

High qualityofsewerage service

In 2021, the number of sewer collapses decreased by 11.3% compared to a year ago. “The number of sewer collapses has decreased due to the consistent reconstruction work that we carried out in 2021, using mostly environment-friendly no-dig methods and thereby not having to dig up the roads,” Timofejev said. Over the year, the number of sewer blockages has somewhat increased.

Wastewater treated at the Paljassaare wastewater treatment plant also maintains a high level of quality, being again fully compliant with all the set requirements last year. In order to assess the efficiency of the treatment process and the quality of the treated effluent, the concentration of pollutants in wastewater entering the plant and in effluent leaving the plant is monitored. The exceptionally low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the effluent discharged into the sea is a proof of the excellent level of treated effluent.

Last year saw the completion of the largest project of the decade, during which the facilities and equipment of the first and most important, i.e. the mechanical treatment stage were renewed at the wastewater treatment plant in Paljassaare. The investment allows us to remove 20% more grit from the treatment process and thereby keep the quality of the treated effluent discharged to the sea at an excellent level, to keep the Baltic Sea cleaner and to ensure reliable and efficient wastewater treatment for Tallinners. In addition to this major project, a number of other investments were carried out, such as the installation of a new pump in the main pumping station and the reconstruction of the effluent outlet tower.

Satisfied customers and community

Tallinna Vesi aims to provide reliable, high-quality service to its customers and consumers at all times. To do this, we regularly measure the satisfaction of our customers and monitor compliance with the promises we have made to them. In 2021, the Company failed to deliver on the promises made to customers on three occasions. In the event of a failure to keep the promise, we apologize and pay compensation to our customers, as well as learn from the process to avoid such failures in the future.

In 2021, the Company showed an excellent improvement in terms of the decrease in the number of customer complaints – 22.5% less complaints were received compared to the last year. We are also constantly monitoring the speed at which the customers receive answers to their questions. In the nine months of 2021, we responded to written inquiries within at least 2 working days in 98.8% of cases.

In 2021, Tallinna Vesi took major steps to deliver an even more sustainable and environment-friendly service to customers and consumers by starting to obtain 100% of the electricity used in its facilities, incl. the treatment process, from renewable energy sources as of Q4 2021.

In order to improve customer satisfaction, the Company started preparations last year to start installing remote water meters in mid-2022. Smart water meters allow to provide customers with an even more convenient service and reduce water losses. “Thanks to automatically collected information, we proactively inform customers about any possible leakage and remove the need for reporting the water readings,” Timofejev said.

Last year, Tallinna Vesi also contributed to the welfare of its community by supporting a total of ca 40 events with water tanks for free as well as the addition of 12 public water taps across the capital city. In addition, a number of activities were carried out to increase the environmental awareness among society and to reduce waste generation by promoting tap water drinking. Among other things, a scholarship program was launched to attract new generation of talents to the water industry.

OPERATIONAL INDICATORS FOR2021
Indicator	Unit	12 months of2021	12 months of 2020	Q42021	Q42020
Drinking water
Compliance of water quality at the customers’ tap	%	99.6	99.7	99.8	99.5
Water loss in the water distribution network	%	15.0	12.4	21.5	12.3
Average duration of water interruptions per property	h	3.31	2.93	3.54	2.73
Wastewater
Number of sewer blockages	no	524	463	127	125
Number of sewer collapses	no	71	80	21	19
Compliance of treated effluent with environmental requirements	%	100	100	100	100
Customer service
Number of customer complaints	no	31	40	8	4
Number of customer contacts regarding water quality	no	317	323	79	53
Number of customer contacts regarding water pressure	no	363	359	101	114
Number of customer contacts regarding blockages and leading off stormwater	no	948	864	215	177
Responding to written customer contacts within at least 2 working days	%	98.8	100	98.5	100
Number of failed promises	no	3	1	0	1
Notification of unplanned water interruptions at least 1 h before the interruption	%	98.7	98.9	99.2	97.8