Contribute to the well-being of waters

In Finland, tap water is clean and of good quality. But don’t leave the tap running unnecessarily. Water supply, purification, pumping, distribution, and wastewater management consume energy. Opt for water and energy-efficient plumbing fixtures.

Try to avoid foreign products whose production consumes a lot of water and causes harmful emissions. It is especially important to avoid food products from water-critical areas (such as the Middle East, Africa, and Asia).

When buying new clothes, opt for products that come from inside the EU or are eco-labelled. In many developing countries, textile production often involves high water consumption, use of various harmful chemicals, and poor wastewater management.

The easiest way to reduce the load on inland waters and the Baltic Sea is to increase the proportion of domestic wild fish and vegetarian food in your diet. By eating and fishing domestic wild fish, you can even compensate for your nutrient emissions.  

This way you avoid burdening water bodies with unnecessary food production.  

A kitchen garden does not require strong artificial fertilisers. You can for instance use a compost for soil conditioning and green mulch as fertiliser.

Be sure to upgrade the wastewater system at your cottage to meet the wastewater treatment requirements of sparsely populated areas, and make sure that the cottage's sauna water is not discharged directly into the water system.

An eco-label on cleaning products, washing powder and washing-up liquid guarantees that none of the most harmful chemicals have been used in the manufacture of the products.

Waste finds its way from land to water. Litter makes our surroundings less enjoyable and poses a harm to animals and to the environment. Especially microplastics can accumulate environmental toxins.

Do not mix pharmaceutical waste in household waste or flush it down the toilet. Some of the pharmaceutical waste is discharged through wastewater treatment plants and into seas and lakes, where it poses a threat to aquatic organisms.

Pesticides and biocides are designed to combat, destroy, or render harmless organisms. Biocidal products include insecticides and repellents, disinfectants, preservatives, and wood preservatives. They may cause adverse effects on natural organisms if released into the environment. Pesticides should only be used when necessary and according to the instructions.  

If you are washing carpets at home or at the cottage, do not discharge the washing water into nearby waterways, but let it be absorbed by the soil.

Vesi.fi-palvelusta service provides information on the status of waters, the cyanobacterial situation, and nutrient loads. 

Waste is transported to the water from land, so by participating in cleaning campaigns and voluntary work, you can also have a concrete impact on the condition of water. Many residents' associations and environmental organisations organise beach cleaning campaigns. 

Water conservation associations carry out remediation work of streams, for instance creating spawning grounds for migratory fish. Voluntary stream remediation is also a great opportunity to learn more about the aquatic environment.  

Citizens' observations are an important part of environmental monitoring and help authorities and researchers in monitoring the status of waters. Järvi-Meriwikiin  tai Vesi.fi-sivuston karttapalvelun kautta.