Our priority is to provide our customers with the highest quality drinking water, a reliable water supply and an effective wastewater discharge service. Similarly to previous years, we have also provided an excellent service to our customers. We remain focused on maintaining and improving all our key performance indicators, so our consumers can rely and depend on the services they receive. Water quality last year, was the best in the company’s history and we managed to retain leakage performance amongst the best in class, despite a very cold 1st quarter.
Operational indicators for 2016
| Indicator | 2016 | 2015 |
| Drinking water | ||
| Compliance of water quality at the customers’ tap | 99.93% | 99.86% |
| Water loss in the water distribution network | 15.07% | 14.68% |
| Average duration of water interruptions per property in hours | 3.44 h | 3.22 h |
| Wastewater | ||
| Number of sewer blockages | 670 | 737 |
| Number of sewer bursts | 107 | 127 |
| Wastewater treatment compliance with environmental standards | 100% | 100% |
| Customer Service | ||
| Number of written complaints | 45 | 67 |
| Number of customer contacts regarding water quality | 166 | 115 |
| Number of customer contacts regarding water pressure | 339 | 337 |
| Number of customer contacts regarding blockages and discharge of storm water | 1,190 | 1,061 |
| Responding written customer contacts within at least 2 work days | 99.46% | 99.20% |
| Number of failed promises | 4 | 9 |
| Notification of unplanned water interruptions at least 1 h before the interruption | 98.8% | 98.7% |
Tap water is drinking water
Tap water quality remains excellent, and is comparable to that of any other country in West-Europe. Strict legal requirements apply to the quality of drinking water, and compliance is monitored in accordance with the drinking water monitoring programmes, approved by the Estonian Health Board.
In 2016, we took a total of 2,948 samples across our service area (Tallinn and Saue) (2015: 2 945) and 99.93% of the water samples taken, were compliant with all the requirements (2015: 99.86%). Thus, only two samples in 2016 and 2015 exceeded the prescribed limit values. Subsequently, we completed additional maintenance work on the water network in question, and the repeated samples were fully compliant. The consistent high quality is the result of an efficient water treatment process, preventive actions reducing the number of water bursts on the network, timely investments and effective maintenance of the water network.
The results of drinking water analyses taken from Lake Ülemiste, the Water Treatment Plant, ground water and customers’ taps, can be found on the company’s website.
For us it is very important that our customers trust the quality of their water and recognise that tap water is safe to drink. Over the years, we have repeatedly promoted tap water as drinking water. In recent years, it can be seen that people value water quality and according to a survey carried out by Kantar Emor in 2016, already 80% of end users drink tap water, whilst in 2011 this figure was only 48%.
A reliable service
It is important for all consumers to have a reliable and high-quality service that is available 24/7. We therefore strive to plan and optimise our activities, to minimise disruption and inconvenience, wherever possible.
Preventive works on networks have resulted also in very low leakage rate of 15.07% during 2016, which is slightly higher than in 2015 (14.68%), but still represents a very good result.
We continue to make targeted capital investments, renovating or replacing assets based on previous condition surveys and performance data, to ensure the continued reliability of the infrastructure. At the end of 2016, we finished the complex repair of Tihase tunnel collector, through which the wastewater from Mustamäe and Õismäe is directed to Paljassaare. We also constructed 600 mm water pipe in Tondi that now provides a parallel supply to almost 100,000 people.
Over the years, the customers’ need to inform us of problems has shown a declining trend. The number of customer contacts on various topics has increased to some extent in 2016. At the same time, the number of written complaints and failed promises has declined during the same period. There were 45 complaints submitted in 2016, compared to 67 complaints in 2015. We continue to work hard, so that people would have less reasons to be unsatisfied.
We ask regular feedback from our clients, so that we could further improve our customer service, react on problems in a timely manner and focus on more problematic areas. Annually we order Kantar Emor to carry out a satisfaction survey among our customers. This is an extensive survey, mapping the satisfaction of both our contractual clients and end users with our work and activities. The assessment is being given based on their client experience and direct contact with the company, but also on the opinions created by the media coverage, services, or other type of indirect or direct contact.
In 2016, already second year, the customer retention (TRI*M index) has been very high, being 94 points. For years now, we have continued to stand out with the ratings significantly higher than the European average of industrial sector (69 points) and the top 10% of utility companies (87 points).
Cleaner environment
We provide wastewater discharge service to nearly one third of the Estonia’s population located in Tallinn, and some of the surrounding municipalities. The company’s wastewater treatment plant is located at Paljassaare, which is constantly being updated with new technologies, to ensure continued compliance with ever tightening environmental legislation. In 2016, final effluent was again 100% compliant with the stipulated permit requirements.
We remain focussed on reducing the possible risk of flooding within our network and preventing any pollution incidents. The number of sewer blockages provides a good indication as to how we are proactively managing the network, for example jet washing. In 2016, the number of sewage blockages reduced by 9.09% compared to 2015, i.e. when in 2015 we eliminated 737 blockages, then this year we eliminated 670 blockages.
Riina Käi
AS Tallinna Vesi
Chief Financial Officer
Ph: (+372) 62 62 262