Water consumption in MNOP buildings has risen – we are investigating ways to address this

Housing, Kortepohja, News, Sustainability / 11.11.2026

Water consumption in MNOP buildings has risen. According to consumption monitoring data, water consumption across the four residential buildings has increased significantly between 2024 and 2026, but no clear cause for this increase has yet been identified.

Increased water consumption is putting pressure on landlords to raise rents in properties where water is not yet billed to each resident on a metered basis.

The trend in water consumption in MNOP buildings has been exceptional over several years

Water consumption from January to September:

• 2024: 12 065 m³
• 2025: 14 982 m³ (+24 %)
• 2026: 17 893 m³ (+19 %)

Over the course of two years, water consumption has increased by a total of approximately 48 per cent. Consumption is now about one and a half times the 2021 level.

 Individual metering per flat has significantly reduced water consumption in other Soihtu housing locations, and the same trend can also be observed elsewhere in Finland.

In the MNOP building, water consumption per tenant in early 2026 was 168 l/day.

For example, in Kortepohja Building E, water consumption per tenant is 85 l/day. Daily consumption of less than 100 litres is considered a good figure in a block of flats.

Tenants’ living habits, changes in the number of tenants and technical factors can all affect consumption. Soihtu tenants are therefore now being encouraged to take an active role in reviewing their own water consumption habits. Every tenant can influence their water consumption through their own choices.

Using water responsibly is sensible

The cost of consumption always ends up being borne by tenants, at the latest in the form of rent increases.

Moreover, the production of tap water is a complex, energy-intensive process that consumes natural resources.

Water that flows into the drains, in turn, increases the energy required for wastewater treatment and the load on the network.

Heating domestic water can account for over 20 per cent of a household’s energy consumption.

Tenants’ reporting obligations under the tenancy agreement:

• Report any leaks in plumbing fixtures (e.g. taps and the toilet) to the maintenance as soon as possible.
• It is equally important to ensure that your tenant details are up to date. Following a legislative amendment that came into force on 1 October 2026, tenants are obliged to notify the landlord of all persons living in the flat.

What measures is Soihtu going to take?

Soihtu is now investigating the reasons for the increased water consumption in the MNOP building from various angles, so that the right measures can be found to curb consumption.

• We are inspecting the plumbing fixtures in the properties and checking for any leaks. All flats will be inspected in the first half of 2027. We will provide further details on this once the schedule has been finalised.
• We are informing tenants about the importance of their water usage habits.
• We are investigating the feasibility of introducing individual water metering for each flat in the MNOP building.