Connection process

The first step in the connection procedure is to apply for technical specifications by filling in this form.
Technical specifications are necessary in order to design the water or sewer pipelines and to obtain the building permit. Technical specifications are issued free of charge.

AS Tallinna Vesi issues the technical specifications within 2 weeks as of the receipt of the customer’s application. The technical specifications issued will be valid for 1 year.
Should the customer not manage to obtain a design within 1 year, the customer may apply for the extension of the validity of technical specifications by filling in this form.

In order to obtain the design for water and sewer pipes the customer needs to contact a design company that will prepare a design on the basis of the technical specifications issued by AS Tallinna Vesi and that will ensure that the design complies with the requirements. In order to obtain the design for water and sewer pipes the customer needs to contact a company with a specific competence, i.e. its activities entered into the Register of Economic Activities include, inter alia, the preparation of a building design for the public water supply and sewerage systems, including pumping stations, treatment plants and other related infrastructure.

The design works include drawing up a servitude drawing and preparing an application for the pipes coming into the ownership or operation of AS Tallinna Vesi. Establishing the servitude ensures that AS Tallinna Vesi can carry out maintenance work on the pipe when necessary. A connection contract can only be concluded after the conclusion of the servitude agreement. To establish the servitude, the following materials must be sent to the address servituut(at)tvesi.ee:

• Servitude application
• A servitude drawing drawn up either in .dgn or .dwg and in .pdf format and in the national coordinate system 1:500 to 1:1000. When formatting, please place the drawing on A4 format in such a way that 4 cm from the top and bottom edge is left empty, as shown on the sample drawing.
• Extract from the design, including the summary table of approvals, opinions and views (in the case of unreformed state land).

Establishing the servitude typically takes 4 weeks from the date of application. After submitting the application, the customer does not need to provide any additional documents. Establishing the servitude is free of charge for the customer.

Thereafter, the design is to be submitted to the local government for the issue of a building permit.

If the customer wishes, AS Tallinna Vesi may also be responsible for obtaining the design. In this case, AS Tallinna Vesi will prepare a simple procurement procedure to find a designer. The design work will then be contracted out to the contractor who quotes the lowest price.

The design for water and/or sewer pipes along with the building permit is then to be submitted to AS Tallinna Vesi in digital form via the State Register for Construction Works (www.ehr.ee). Designs on paper shall not be accepted.

The applicant must review the additional requirements specified in the opinion on the design. In general, AS Tallinna Vesi accepts the main design, unless a detailed design is specifically required in the opinion.

To continue the connection process for the property and to organize the procurement (to find a contractor for building the supply points according to the design), please submit the following documents to tvesi@tvesi.ee:

• a completed form of application for construction quote. The form is available HERE (in Estonian);
• a completed form of application for connection. The form is available HERE;
• a detailed water and sewer design, digitally signed by the designer (the design documents must include title page, explanatory note, site plan, cross-sections of profile/trench, and the site plan in DWG format);
• a road reinstatement design, digitally signed by the designer (the design documents must include title page, explanatory note, site plan, cross-sections, and a table of work volumes);
• valid approvals from other utility network owners. Approvals are required if the design crosses or runs along a protection zone of that network (an area of land, airspace, or water body surrounding that specific network and where restrictions on the use of the network apply for safety reasons). These approvals must be submitted for each network owner and be digitally signed by the representatives of the network owner (e.g., Elektrilevi OÜ, AS Gaasivõrk, Telia Eesti AS). Approvals may also be  obtained by the company performing the construction of the supply point, provided AS Tallinna Vesi is notified thereof in writing in a free format. Information about required approvals can be found from the Land and Spatial Development Board | Information System on Restrictions;
• a valid building permit for the construction of pipes.

If the road reinstatement is the responsibility of the applicant, a confirmation letter must be submitted to AS Tallinna Vesi.

The construction of the supply point and the necessary public water supply and sewerage pipes will be carried out by a contractor selected through a procurement process organized by AS Tallinna Vesi, as the pipes, including the supply points, are part of the public water supply and sewerage system, which is owned and maintained by AS Tallinna Vesi.

As of 01.04.2023, AS Tallinna Vesi arranges a procurement process between 15 previously qualified competent construction companies. List of the companies can be found here.

The procurement process normally takes 10 days.

The construction works and the supervision service for the construction of supply point are always ordered by AS Tallinna Vesi.

Once the successful company has been selected, we will prepare a connection contract with annexes and send it to the customer for their approval. Construction work may not start until the connection contract has been signed. The connection contract will be sent to the applicant once the construction quote has been approved.

The connection charge contains the actual costs of constructing the public water supply and/or sewerage pipes needed for the property. If the connection is made to the network the connection costs of which have been fully paid for and no other connectees were known at the time of construction, the water company is obliged to refund part of the connection charge to those who were connected earlier. The amount to be added to the connection charge shall be calculated based on the methodology for calculating connection charges, using the costs incurred and taking into account the depreciation of the public water supply and/or sewerage pipes.

In addition to the cost of construction, an owner supervision service fee will be added: 10% of the construction cost if the cost is up to €16,000, and 5% if the construction cost exceeds €16,000.

Methodology for the calculation of AS Tallinna Vesi’s connection charges (EST)  confirmed by Estonian Competition Authority.

The water company will complete the construction of the supply point within 200 calendar days (unless otherwise agreed) of receiving the connection fee. Typically, construction work is completed much faster than within 200 days. The 200-day deadline is necessary to allow time for a usage permit to be obtained following construction.

Once the supply point has been built, the public water and sewer pipes constructed require a usage permit/permits. When submitting an application for the construction of a supply point, you can choose whether the application for such permit is submitted by the contractor of the supply point or by the customer. AS Tallinna Vesi recommends that the application for the usage permit/permits should always be left to the contractor.

Customers are able to start the construction of the pipes within their property simultaneously with the construction of a supply point. In order to be able to use the temporary water supply and/or wastewater service during the construction activity, the customer needs to submit a relevant application to AS Tallinna Vesi by filling in this form. After the completion of construction of the pipes within the property the customer needs to contact AS Tallinna Vesi again, either by phone 626 2200 or e-mail tvesi@tvesi.ee, to set the appointment for the installation of a water meter and for the site inspection.

If you are looking for a contractor to build pipes within your property, you may contact one of our dynamic procurement partners who also carry out on-property construction work.

However, it is not mandatory to use our dynamic procurement partners for on-property work.

In order to enter into a permanent service contract, AS Tallinna Vesi must have included the supply point as one its fixed assets. AS Tallinna Vesi will accept the supply point as a fixed asset once the document for the work carried out, usage permits and warranty letter have been submitted.

In order to enter into a permanent service contract, an application must be made in the Tallinna Vesi’s Self Service.

For the inspection of the pipes and the preparation of a boundary drawing, the following documents need to be sent to tvesi@tvesi.ee:

• a pressure test report detailing the performance of a hydraulic pressure test on the section of the pipe at the isolation valve (manhole) at the point of connection to the public water supply, i.e., at the property’s water metering unit;
• a report on the covered works carried out for the connection to the property (incl. clear photos taken at the main points: the connection of the on-site sewer pipe to the service manhole, the connection of the on-site water pipe to the supply point (service connection valve), the manholes on the property and the installed inlets and outlets to the building;
• a photo of the installed water metering unit.

In addition, the as-built drawing(s) of the water and (stormwater) sewer pipe installation within the property must be sent to tj@tvesi.ee.

Tallinna Vesi’s representative will inspect the property’s water metering unit and install a water meter. Following the inspection, the representative will prepare the relevant documents (report and boundary drawing), which will be attached to the permanent service contract. The representative will then prepare the permanent service contract and send it to the customer for signature.

AS Tallinna Vesi prepares the contract for the sale of water supply and/or wastewater services and sends it to the customer for their approval.