Most sustainable water management

Finland has been blessed with more than 6,000 groundwater aquifers and about 100,000 lakes. An integrated water resources management and high standards of water protection based on the ecosystem approach are necessities in sheltering the highly vulnerable water systems.

To respond to this challenge, the most sustainable water management level in the world has been developed - as ranked by the UN Water Poverty Index.

Water supply and sewerage policies are designed to guarantee availability of high-quality drinking water and to ensure that wastewater is efficiently collected and suitably treated in accordance with acceptable standards.

Water pollution prevention in industry and households have been achieved with effective treatment methods as well as efficient reuse and circulation of water.

Finnish companies have optimized their water use, especially in the pulp and paper, steel and chemical industries. This has led to development of top-level technologies and consulting services for closing industrial water cycles.

Advanced, innovative and diversified water technologies, cooperatives and self-governed solutions in the water sector as well as high level of education and research provide a strong basis for successful water resources management.

Finnish pulp and paper industry reduced its water consumption 6.6 percent between 1990 – 2007, despite the industry’s production has almost doubled.

Today, Finnish companies and other parties combine their expertise through networking and can provide comprehensive services using the best available technology to avoid pollution and deterioration of the environment.

These include complete water and waste water treatment plants – from chemical coagulation and precipitation to biological treatment support, odour and corrosion control, disinfection, and sludge treatment - and optimizing the performance of these plants.

One of the latest references is a new wasteater treatment plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is considered an important step in saving the Baltic Sea.

More information:

Finnish Environment Institute

22 July 2010

Finnish-Russian presidential talks urge cooperation on Baltic Sea

President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev made a working visit to Finland on 20-21 July. The talks with Finnish President Tarja Halonen focused on cooperation within international and regional forums in the Baltic region, northern Europe in general, and in the Arctic. The state of the Baltic Sea received special attention as the presidents visited a research center on Seili Island in the Sea. Medvedev said that a condition of the sea is worse than it used to be. "We should work on solving problems of the Baltic Sea together."

17 March 2010

Finnish water knowledge prepares for global market

The current Finnish competence of the water sector is being gathered into one research center. The goal is to develop unique water knowledge to Finland and to create new business opportunities for companies in the environmental technology sector. Examples of the research sectors include the cost-efficient cultivation of sea water into drinkable water, the utilization of biomass resulting from the waste water treatment in production processes of energy and bioenergy, and the decomposition of products.

3 November 2009

New forum promotes international water projects

A recently established non-governmental organization, the Finnish Water Forum (FWF), helps to start water-related international projects. Development issues are a high priority, and the Forum wants to participate in the efforts to reach the millennium goals defined by the United Nations. It also promotes cooperation between water experts of the private and public sectors. Membership of the Forum is open to all organizations within the water sector and related sectors.