Waste water

Water supply plant operating areas

A property located in the operational area of ​​a water supply company and in an urban area as defined by the Water Supply Act is obliged to connect to the water supply and sewerage network.
The operating areas of the water supply facilities were approved by the Kihniö Municipal Council on 18 June 2012, Section 14. Information on the confirmed operating area boundaries can be obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency or the municipal water and sewerage department.

Wastewater management in sparsely populated areas

The Government Decree on the Treatment of Domestic Wastewater in Areas Outside Sewerage Networks (SDK 157/2017), also known as the Dispersed Wastewater Decree, requires that the wastewater systems of buildings built before 2004, which are located at a maximum distance of 100 m from a water body or a groundwater area significant for water supply, must meet the treatment requirements set out in the decree by 31 October 2019. The decree applies to properties located in sparsely populated areas that are not located in the operating area of ​​the water supply company's sewage network. For properties located in areas other than groundwater or coastal areas, the renovation of the wastewater system will become relevant in connection with the next major renovation. New properties must meet the treatment requirements set out in the decree and environmental protection regulations immediately.

Further information on the permit procedure for the construction, repair or modification of a wastewater system can be obtained from the building control authority. The plan for the wastewater system must take into account the municipality's environmental protection regulations and other possible regulations concerning wastewater. The type of wastewater system that is sufficient depends, among other things, on whether the property in question is located in a groundwater area, a coastal area, a sparsely populated area or another area. The building control authority will request an environmental protection statement if necessary.

The building control authority supervises the construction of the system and the environmental protection authority supervises matters concerning the environmental impacts of the system.
Each property must have a written report on the property's wastewater system and related operating and maintenance instructions. The report must make it possible to assess the environmental impact of wastewater and whether the treatment system meets the obligations of the decree. The report and instructions can be commissioned from a professional, for example a designer familiar with water management in dispersed settlements.