Water billing in SATOhomes
How do I pay the water charge and why is it billed separately from the rent? And what does the water charge cover? We've put together answers to the most common questions below.
In SATOhomes, water charges are based either on the number of residents or on actual water consumption. This is a fairer way to bill than dividing the building's total water use equally between all apartments.
If your home’s water billing is based on the number of residents, you pay a fixed monthly water fee for each resident along with your rent. If the number of residents in your home changes — for example, if you have a new baby or someone moves out — please let us know, via OmaSATO, to keep your water fees up to date.
If your home has an apartment-specific water meter, you pay for the water based on your actual consumption. You will receive a separate water bill monthly or when your water usage exceeds 4 m³, which is approximately €20. If your monthly water consumption remains below the billing threshold, the amount will be carried over to the next month’s water invoice.
How do I know how much water I am using?
Keeping track of your water consumption is easy in OmaSATO. You can view detailed consumption data by hovering over the bar of the day you're interested in. Please note that the consumption period may not change at midnight but can span two days (e.g. Mon at 3:06 to Tue at 3:06).
How is the price of water determined?
The price of water billed based on consumption is influenced by several factors. We use HSY’s raw water price as the basis for billing. However, the total price also includes wastewater fees for the used water, domestic water heating costs, stormwater fees, emote water meter reading fees, and other system maintenance costs.
What is the biggest factor to the price of water?
The largest single cost is heating domestic water. The temperature of hot water available at all water outlets must be at least 55 °C to effectively prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria. In practice, this means the water needs to be heated to at least 58 °C, and often even higher. This is why the heating method in your home building also affects the water price: in buildings with geothermal heating, hot water is slightly cheaper than in those using district heating, as geothermal energy has a higher efficiency rate. The overall quality of the Finnish domestic water is usually excellent.
SATO does not aim to make a profit from water billing.
Smart water use saves money and the environment
Water consumption varies widely between households. In Finland, the average household uses about 120 litres of water per person per day. However, it’s worth using water, especially hot water, wisely, as every litre affects both the environment and your water charges.
Examples of water consumption:
- One minute in the shower uses 12 litres of water, or up to 15 litres in older buildings.
- A dishwasher typically uses 12 litres per cycle, while washing and rinsing dishes by hand under running water can use up to 50 litres.
- A slowly dripping water fixture that leaks half a deciliter per minute wastes 500 litres of water per week — that’s nearly four full bathtubs!
You can easily reduce your water consumption by paying attention to your habits and making small everyday changes, for example, by following the tips below.