For the property owner
As part of the Pitäjänmäki-Marttila water network renovation project, we are offering an affordable and easy opportunity to renovate your property’s lot lines.
In order to repair the water network, in addition to our own trunk networks, we are renovating all over 20-year-old lot lines connected to them from the main pipeline up to the border of the property’s lot. The work includes earthworks, pipe materials, and connection work.
The exception being the 20–30-year-old plot sewers in a public street area, which we will renovate if one the following three options is realised:
- the sewer pipes are in the same trench as the water pipe being renovated (a water pipe that is over 20 years old will be renovated in any case, therefore renovating the sewers will not in this instance create any additional costs for the property owner) OR
- the sewer pipes are deemed to be in need of renovation due to their condition. In order to verify this, HSY will carry out a sewer scan at its own cost. OR
- the property owner wants the plot sewer renovated nonetheless.
In connection with the project, HSY will also have stormwater main sewers built in the areas that still lack them. The majority of the area being renovated already has stormwater main sewers.
According to the Water Management Act, a property located in an area the municipality has determined to be within the scope of the water service supplier’s stormwater sewer services must be connected to the water services supplier’s stormwater sewer. As an environmental protection authority, the City of Helsinki can, upon application, grant a property a non-fixed-term or fixed-term exemption from the obligation to be connected to a stormwater sewer referred to in Section 17 b.
We are offering property owners an affordable opportunity to renovate their own lot lines from the border of the lot up to the building. The work must be carried out in connection with HSY’s water network renovation. We recommend renovating the property’s lot water pipe and sewers if they are over 20 years old. The contractor, Terrawise, will contact the residents and provide information about the working method and schedule.
Sign up to the project’s mailing list,
City of Helsinki: Drainage and storm water,
Price advantages offered by HSY
We offer three price advantages for the renovation of lot lines:
- We subsidise, i.e. pay for part of the renovation of the property’s lot lines from the trunk network up to the border of the lot (section 1 in the figure).
- Property owners will be exempted from the costs for the renovation of lot lines carried out by HSY (section 1) if they renovate their lot lines from the border of the lot up to the buildings (section 2 in the figure).
- Property owners can take advantage of HSY’s contractor and tendered price for the renovation of lot lines from the border of the lot up to the buildings (section 2 in the figure) in connection with HSY’s project.
Share of work done by HSY in the renovation of lot lines in a public street area
The subsidized cost of the renovation of lot lines carried out by HSY from the trunk network up to the border of the lot is EUR 4,000. In accordance with our general terms and conditions for delivery, we will invoice the owner/occupier of the property for the renovation work in question. The price is between EUR 1,200 and EUR 4,000 for each connection excavation depending on the age of the lot lines as shown in the table below:
| Age of lot lines, years | Connecting party’s share of costs, % | HSY’s share of costs, % |
| 0–20 | Not to be renovated | Not to be renovated |
| 20–30 | 30 (€1,200) | 70 |
| 30–40 | 40 (€1,600) | 60 |
| over 40 | 100 (€4,000) | 0 |
As a property owner, you will be fully exempted from the renovation fee in question if you renovate your own lot water pipe from the border of the lot up to the water meter and your lot sewers up to the basic water wells in connection with the project. This way, you will only have to pay for the renovation of the lot water pipe and lot sewers running within the property’s borders.
Share of costs of the renovation work ordered by the property owner within the borders of the property
TerraWise Oy has been selected as the contractor for the renovation project. Ask the contractor for a tender on the plot pipeline renovation and utilise the tendered prices.
If a new stormwater sewer must be constructed:
- Contractor TerraWise invoices for the construction inside the property’s borders in accordance with the tender agreed with the property owner.
- If the stormwater sewer is built in the same trench with another plot pipeline, HSY will not invoice for the construction in a public area.
- If a new trench needs to be made for the plot stormwater sewer, HSY invoices a construction fee pursuant to the price list for the construction in a public area.
- Once the property has been connected to the stormwater sewer, HSY invoices a fee pursuant to the price list for the new stormwater sewer.
Examples of costs
Detached house built in 1998
HSY renovates the lot lines from the main pipelines up to the border of the property. The cost of the renovation is EUR 4,000 for each connection excavation.
- The owner decides not to renovate the lot lines from the border of the property up to the water meter. Nevertheless, the owner pays a 30% contribution (EUR 1,200) for the lot lines renovated by HSY because HSY subsidises the renovation of lot lines that are 20–30 years old by paying 70% of the costs.
- The owner decides to renovate the lot lines from the border of the property up to the water meter. The owner receives a quote for the costs directly from the contractor and commissions the work. HSY does not charge the property owner’s share (EUR 1,200) of the renovation fee as compensation for the fact that the owner has renovated the lot lines up to the water meter.
Apartment building built in 1950
HSY renovates the lot lines from the main pipelines up to the border of the property. The cost of the renovation is EUR 4,000 for each connection excavation.
- The Board of the housing company decides not to renovate the lot lines from the border of the property up to the water meter. The housing company pays a 100% share (EUR 4,000) for the lot lines renovated by HSY because HSY does not subsidise the renovation of lot lines that are over 40 years old.
- The Board of the housing company decides to renovate the lot lines from the border of the property up to the water meter. The Board receives a quote for the costs directly from the contractor and commissions the work. HSY does not charge the property’s share (EUR 4,000) of the renovation fee as compensation for the fact that the property has renovated the lot lines up to the water meter.
Lot lines include the water pipes and wastewater sewers, as well as the stormwater sewers collecting rain, melt and drainage water, between the buildings of the property and HSY’s trunk network. Lot lines are the responsibility of the property owner in the same way as the piping inside the property. The division of responsibilities is the same regardless of whether the property is built on a lot that you own or one that is rented, or whether it is a detached house, apartment building or commercial property.
The boundary concerning responsibility for the water pipe is the connection point of the property’s lot line and HSY’s main pipeline. The boundary concerning responsibility for the property’s wastewater and stormwater sewer is HSY’s manhole located in the street area.
The service life of lot lines is usually 40–50 years depending on the materials used, the construction method, and the soil. If the pipe breaks, water may leak into the basement and foundations of the property and, in case of bad luck, also into neighbouring properties. A blockage in the wastewater sewer, in turn, may cause the toilet bowl or floor drain to overflow. The damage can be very extensive, and the repair costs are the responsibility of the property owner. How much compensation is paid for the damage depends on the insurance policy and company, as well as the maintenance history of the lot lines.
Benefits of renovating lot lines:
- ensures high-quality drinking water and uninterrupted water supply to the property;
- prevents damage to property and the environment caused by leaks or blockages;
- increases the value of the property; and
- helps with the overall management of water supply.