What Lahti Aqua does

Lahti Aqua Oy is a Finnish municipal water utility wholly owned by the City of Lahti, providing drinking water supply and wastewater collection and treatment services to approximately 168,000 residents and businesses across four municipalities: Lahti, Hollola, Iitti, and, since January 2025, Heinola. The company operates on a regulated concession model, holding exclusive long-term rights to deliver water services in each licensed territory through a physical pipe network spanning nearly 2,200 km, with average network age of approximately 50 years. Raw water is drawn from the naturally filtered Salpausselkä esker aquifer, a structural source-quality advantage, and the company invests roughly €4 million per year to renovate approximately 12 km of network.

The product portfolio spans the core regulated utility services plus a growing layer of digital customer-facing tools: remote-readable water meters using LoRa and NB-IoT networks with an exposed API (Etäluennan rajapintapalvelu) for automated consumption data; the Minun Aquani self-service portal; the Penjami AI chatbot for 24/7 customer support; SMS disturbance notifications; electronic forms for connections and construction water; and the Hyvän elämän lähde community wellbeing program. Revenue is generated through usage-based fees (€1.29/m³ for water, €2.04/m³ for wastewater, excluding VAT) plus annual base/connection fees that vary by property type and size, with a 5% usage-fee and 15% base-fee increase effective January 2025 to fund infrastructure rehabilitation.

Strategically, Lahti Aqua is focused on its core water business following the April 2025 divestiture of its 60% stake in Labio Oy to Nevel, and is actively expanding via new concession agreements (including Aurinkovuoren Vesi Oy in June 2026), participating in sector-wide initiatives such as the VESKY cybersecurity consortium, and pursuing an EU geographical indication for its Salpausselkä-sourced drinking water. The company is led by CEO Jouni Lillman and operates with 101–250 employees.

Name

Lahti Aqua

Legal name

Lahti Aqua Oy

Website

https://lahtiaqua.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lahti Aqua Oy is a Finnish municipal water utility owned by the City of Lahti that provides drinking water supply and wastewater treatment services to approximately 168,000 residents across Lahti, Hollola, Iitti, and Heinola under exclusive concession agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Water supply services
• Wastewater treatment
• Municipal water utility
• Drinking water distribution
• Sewer network operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Lahti

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Fees: Usage-based water supply fees charged per cubic meter of water consumed, covering water procurement and distribution costs.
2. Wastewater Treatment Fees: Fees for wastewater collection and treatment services, charged per cubic meter based on water consumption.
3. Basic/Connection Fees: Fixed base fees for water and wastewater connections, covering network maintenance and infrastructure costs. Rates vary by property type and floor area.
4. Connection Fees for New Construction: Fees charged for new property connections to water and wastewater networks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lahti Aqua provides drinking water supply and wastewater collection and treatment services to approximately 168,000 residents and businesses across four Finnish municipalities (Lahti, Hollola, Iitti, and Heinola) under municipal concession agreements. The company operates a nearly 2,200 km water and wastewater network sourced from the Salpausselkä aquifer, supplemented by remote-readable meters, a digital customer portal (Minun Aquani), and an AI chatbot (Penjami) for customer service.

Product overview

Lahti Aqua is a municipal water utility company (Lahti Aqua Oy) providing water supply, wastewater collection and treatment services to approximately 168,000 residents and businesses across Lahti, Hollola, Iitti, and Heinola in Finland. The company's core offering is its water and wastewater infrastructure services, supported by a portfolio of digital products and customer-facing platforms. Key products include: (1) Core water supply and wastewater services delivered through physical infrastructure; (2) Etäluettavat vesimittarit — remote-readable water meters using LoRa/NB-IoT networks, enabling consumption-based billing and real-time usage data; (3) Minun Aquani — an online customer portal for monitoring consumption, managing billing, and submitting service requests; (4) Penjami — an AI chatbot for 24/7 customer support; (5) SMS/email disturbance notification service; (6) electronic forms for connections, permits, and construction water; and (7) Hyvän elämän lähde — a community wellbeing program. The company is undergoing a significant digital transformation, replacing mechanical meters with remote-readable devices and investing in network infrastructure renewal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vesihuoltopalvelut (Water Supply and Wastewater Services) Core water utility service providing drinking water supply and distribution, as well as wastewater collection and treatment, serving approximately 168,000 residents and businesses across four Finnish municipalities.
• Juomavesi (Drinking Water from Salpausselkä Aquifer) Naturally filtered groundwater sourced from the Salpausselkä esker aquifer, distributed to customers as clean tap water with an EU geographical indication (PDO/PGI) application in progress.
• Etäluettavat vesimittarit (Remote-Readable Water Meters) Automatically readable water meters using LoRa (Digitan) and NB-IoT (Elisa) networks, replacing manual meter reading with continuous, consumption-based data transmission enabling real-time usage monitoring and consumption-based billing.
• Minun Aquani (Customer Self-Service Portal) Online customer self-service portal for single-family homes, businesses, housing companies, and property managers to view contract, billing, and consumption data, report meter readings, and submit service requests.
• Häiriötiedotteet tekstiviestillä (SMS Disturbance Notification Service) SMS and email notification service that proactively alerts registered customers about water supply disruptions, maintenance work, and water quality incidents in their area.
• Liittymismaksut (New Property Connection Services) One-time connection fees and engineering services for connecting new properties, construction sites, and developments to the water supply and wastewater networks.
• Kaupunkivesien hallintasuunnitelma (Urban Water Management Plan) Collaborative environmental planning service developed with Lahti city and Hollola municipality to prevent wastewater and stormwater flooding using GIS-based spatial analysis tools.
• Etäluennan rajapintapalvelu (Remote Meter Reading API) API service for automated retrieval of water consumption data from remotely readable meters, enabling partners and housing company managers to access consumption data and technical notifications automatically through the interface, enabling consumption-based billing without manual meter reading reporting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water sales increased 5.2% in 2024 to 7.5 million m³
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aurinkovuoren Vesi OycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Concession agreement signed for water supply operations. Aurinkovuoren Vesi Oy's board approved the agreement on June 17, 2026, with Lahti Aqua assuming operational responsibility for water services.
• City of HeinolacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Concession agreement starting January 2025 where Lahti Aqua assumes responsibility for Heinola's water supply and wastewater services for approximately 18,000 residents and 4,200 properties.
• Urheilun Koti / Lahti Sport CitycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 December 2024Wellness partnership initiative 'Hyvän elämän lähde' (Source of Good Life) combining water services with sports and wellbeing activities. Includes events, digital wellness content, community activities, and employee wellness programs.
• HSY (Helsingin seudun ympäristöpalvelut)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Lead implementer of VESKY project for improving water sector operational reliability and cybersecurity. Lahti Aqua is one of eight participating water utilities with €560,984 funding from Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
• Hollola MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcession model where Lahti Aqua provides water and wastewater services for Hollola municipality residents and businesses under long-term operational agreement.
• Iitti MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational agreement for water supply services to Iitti municipality residents.
• VMH Kalibro OyminorOthersContractor performing remote reading water meter installations in Heinola area. VMH Kalibro's technicians conduct meter replacement work with company vehicles and identification cards.
• Lahti Energy (Lahti Energia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwater cooling collaboration: Lahti Energy, Lahti city, and Lahti Aqua agreed on new cooperation to expand district cooling using groundwater in Sports Center and Ankkuri areas.
• City of Lahti Education ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational collaboration with Lahti city early childhood education: 'Lapset kysyvät vedestä' (Children ask about water) communication material for kindergartens, complementing the Junior University water theme program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HSY (Helsinki Region Environmental Services): Largest Finnish municipal water and wastewater utility, serving over one million residents in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Direct peer operating the same regulated water utility business model for municipal owners, with overlapping digital metering and customer service initiatives; already a partner with Lahti Aqua on the VESKY cybersecurity project.
• Tampereen Vesi: Municipal water utility owned by the City of Tampere providing water supply and wastewater services in the Tampere region. Comparable in business model (municipal-owned, regulated tariffs, network operator) and product scope to Lahti Aqua, serving a similar Finnish urban footprint.
• Turun Vesihuolto: Water supply and wastewater services provider for the Turku region, owned by the City of Turku. Closely mirrors Lahti Aqua's structure: municipal utility serving a mid-sized Finnish city and surrounding municipalities under concession-style arrangements.
• Oulun Vesi: Municipal water utility serving Oulu and surrounding areas in northern Finland. Operates the same core business — drinking water production, distribution, and wastewater treatment — for a comparable customer base size and Finnish municipal ownership profile.
• Kuopion Vesi: Municipal water utility for Kuopio and surrounding municipalities in eastern Finland. Direct peer in scale, ownership structure (city-owned), and product mix of water supply plus wastewater treatment for residential and industrial customers.
• Jyväskylän Seudun Puhdistamo Oy / Jyväskylän Vesi: Water and wastewater services provider in the Jyväskylä region of central Finland. Comparable Finnish municipal utility with similar scale of population served, network footprint, and reliance on groundwater/surface water sources.
• Porvoon Vesi: Water utility owned by the City of Porvoo providing water supply and wastewater services in southern Finland. Smaller-scale municipal peer with similar customer profile and regulated utility business model.

Broad incumbents

• Nevel: Finnish infrastructure company specializing in industrial water and energy solutions; recently acquired Lahti Aqua's 60% stake in Labio Oy. Comparable as a Finnish water sector participant operating water and wastewater infrastructure, though with a broader industrial and municipal customer mix than Lahti Aqua's residential focus.
• Veolia Water (Finland): International water and wastewater services operator with Finnish operations. Competes in the broader Finnish municipal and industrial water services market, offering outsourced operations, treatment technology, and network management comparable to Lahti Aqua's scope.

Regional players

• Aqua Palvelu (Kymen Vesi Oy): Regional water utility serving municipalities in the Kymenlaakso area of southeastern Finland. Comparable in offering (water supply and wastewater) and in operating under municipal ownership, but does not directly overlap with Lahti Aqua's service territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/tags/hyvänelämänlähde
• Xx.com/lahtiaqua

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lahti Aqua