Household water and warm tap water

Household water, i.e. the water in supply networks, and warm tap water must be harmless to health and suitable for its intended use. Securing the quality of water must be based on preparation and risk management. Valvira guides and advises municipalities’ health protection authorities who monitor the quality of household water. 

Household water is the water used in households for drinking, cooking and other household purposes such as for the maintenance of general hygiene. In addition, household water refers to water used in public or commercial operations for human consumption and for the production, processing, storing and placing on the market of food products. Warm tap water, on the other hand, refers to water heated with water systems of buildings. 

The municipal health protection authority regularly monitors the quality of the household water used in the water distribution area and ensures water supply plants have sufficient self-monitoring. Official monitoring aims to verify that the household water quality complies with regulations and does not cause health hazards. Household water must contain no organisms such as bacteria, viruses or parasites, or any other harmful substances in such quantities that they could pose a risk to human health. The more the plant supplies household water, or the more it is used in the water distribution area, the more frequently the water quality is examined.

If the household water does not comply with the quality requirements set, and if the water could pose a risk to health, the municipal health protection authority must determine the cause of the water quality issue in cooperation with the water supply plant or another operator. If necessary, the municipal health protection authority can order the operator to remedy the situation and provide water users with instructions for how to prevent the health hazard. 

Water systems of buildings

To secure the quality of household water and warm tap water from water systems of buildings, the owner of the building used as priority premises must gather information necessary for risk management, keep the information up to date, and target risk management measures at water systems of buildings. After determining a health hazard, the municipal health protection authority can issue regulations for building owners or operators who use a building or its part as priority premises.

Report a suspected illness or hazard due to household water 

You can report a suspected illness or hazard due to household water or swimming water (includes swimming pools) to the municipal health protection authority. Report a suspected illness or hazard in the Ilppa service. Ilppa is an electronic reporting service for environmental healthcare maintained by the Finnish Food Authority.