What Kuopion Vesi does

Kuopion Vesi Oy is a Finnish municipal water utility jointly owned by the City of Kuopio and Siilinjärvi Municipality, providing integrated drinking water supply and wastewater treatment services to approximately 125,000 residents across Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, and several annexed former municipalities (Nilsiä, Juankoski, Maaninka, Karttula, Vehmersalmi, Melalahti). The company operates around 15 water sources and treatment plants, 9 wastewater treatment facilities, and approximately 1,190 km of water distribution pipes plus 870 km of sewer lines, producing roughly 19.8 million liters of drinking water per day. Water is sourced primarily through bank filtration (rantaimeytys) of lake water and from groundwater sources, with treatment processes spanning mechanical, biological, and chemical stages.

The technology base includes a biogas energy recovery system at the Lehtoniemi central wastewater treatment plant that generates approximately 70% of the plant's electricity needs and 100% of its heating energy from sludge digestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Kuopio's wastewater treatment to roughly 0.3% of the city's total. The company began a multi-year rollout of remote-readable water meters (etäluettavat vesimittarit) in 2025, with full deployment to all customers targeted over approximately eight years. Water quality management follows WHO-aligned Water Safety Plan methodology from source to consumer tap. Customer-facing digital infrastructure includes the Vesitili online portal with Suomi.fi authentication, e-invoicing through Pagero, and outsourced billing operations via Ropo's MyRopo service.

Kuopion Vesi generates revenue primarily through usage-based water (€2.36/m³) and wastewater (€3.24/m³) fees billed six times annually, supplemented by capacity-based base fees, one-time property connection fees ranging from approximately €6,028 to €7,609 for single-family homes, and subscription fees for sprinkler systems and outdoor water posts. The company operates as a regulated monopoly within its designated service area, serving individual residents, businesses, property managers, and rural water cooperatives (vesiosuuskunnat) that wholesale through Kuopion Vesi networks. Annual revenue is approximately €38M, supported by 94 employees. Go-to-market relies on direct customer engagement through online self-service, phone support, and in-person appointments, complemented by community-oriented marketing via social media, a customer magazine (Pisaroita), and sponsorship of youth education programs.

Name

Kuopion Vesi

Legal name

Kuopion Vesi Oy

Website

https://kuopionvesi.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kuopion Vesi is a Finnish municipal water utility jointly owned by Kuopio and Siilinjärvi, providing drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 125,000 residents across roughly 2,000 km of pipeline network in eastern Finland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced Treatment & Purification Utilities (MF/UF, RO, AOP, UV) (EUANAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Wastewater Utility IoT (SCADA, Leak/Quality Monitoring) (EUADAPAK)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuopio

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Fees: Usage-based fees charged per cubic meter of water consumed. Customers billed 6 times per year (5 estimate bills + 1 reconciliation bill based on meter readings).
2. Wastewater Treatment Fees: Usage-based fees charged per cubic meter of wastewater, equal to water consumption. Included in combined billing with water supply.
3. Connection Fees (Liittymismaksut): One-time fees for new properties connecting to water and sewer networks. Based on property type and floor area (k-m2). Includes water connection, wastewater connection, construction-period water, and meter installation fees.
4. Base Fees (Perusmaksut): Annual fixed fees determined by water meter size, covering network maintenance and operations costs. Billed regardless of consumption.
5. Sprinkler System Fees: Base fees charged to properties with sprinkler systems connected to the network.
6. Water Post Fees: Annual fees for water post (vesiposti) access contracts, covering water usage from designated outdoor water points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kuopion Vesi provides drinking water supply and wastewater treatment services to residents, businesses, and properties across the Kuopio and Siilinjärvi region in Eastern Finland. It also offers planning and construction services for municipal water infrastructure, remote-readable water meters, water-supply connections, and maintenance/support to 19 water cooperatives. The utility operates 15 water sources/treatment plants and 9 wastewater treatment plants connected via approximately 2,000 km of pipelines, serving around 125,000 residents.

Product overview

Kuopion Vesi is a municipal water utility company (vesihuoltolaitos) providing integrated water and wastewater services to approximately 125,000 residents across Kuopio and Siilinjärvi. The company operates approximately 15 water sources and treatment plants, 9 wastewater treatment facilities, and maintains nearly 2,000 km of combined pipeline networks. Its core offerings consist of drinking water production and distribution (Drinking Water Supply) and wastewater collection and treatment (Wastewater Treatment). Supporting services include Industrial Wastewater Agreements for businesses with non-standard effluent, Sprinkler System Connections for fire safety, and Water Posts for outdoor water access. The company is transitioning to Remote-Readable Water Meters for all customers, with the Vesitili Web Portal providing digital self-service for consumption tracking and billing. Property Connection Services handle new construction water and sewer hookups. The Disruption Alert Service provides SMS/email notifications for service interruptions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drinking water supply Production, treatment, and distribution of clean drinking water to households, businesses, and cooperatives across the Kuopio and Siilinjärvi region via 15 water sources and treatment plants.
• Wastewater treatment Collection and treatment of wastewater from connected properties through 9 wastewater treatment plants, including biogas energy recovery as part of the treatment process.
• Water connections and metering Provision of new water and sewer connections, installation of remote-readable water meters, and handling of meter-related services for residential and commercial properties.
• Planning and construction services for water infrastructure Planning, design, and construction of municipal water supply and wastewater infrastructure projects for clients including municipalities and developers.
• Operation, maintenance, and summer services for water cooperatives Operational support, maintenance, and summer water services provided to 19 water cooperatives operating distribution networks in the Kuopio region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of Lehtoniemi wastewater plant electricity produced from biogas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• HSY (Helsingin seudun ympäristöpalvelut)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024HSY as lead implementer of VESKY and VESFY projects for water utility cybersecurity and physical security. Kuopion Vesi participated as co-implementer in developing industry-wide security frameworks, guidelines, and assessment tools for water sector resilience.
• Lahti Aqua OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Tampereen Vesi OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Oulun VesisupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Porin VesisupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Kouvolan Vesi OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Kymen Vesi OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Turun Vesihuolto OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Hämeenlinnan Seudun Vesi OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Alva-yhtiöt OysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Co-implementer in VESKY water utility cybersecurity project developing industry-wide security practices.
• Gasum (Biokaasulaitos)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGasum's biogas plant receives residual sludge from Lehtoniemi wastewater treatment. Remaining energy and nutrients extracted for beneficial use.
• Ropo (Billing and Collections)supportingTechnology or IntegrationRopo handles invoice printing, payment arrangements, and collections for Kuopion Vesi. Customers access MyRopo portal for payment services and arrangements.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jyväskylän Energia (Water Services): Multi-utility company providing water services alongside district heating and electricity in the Jyväskylä region. Comparable water/wastewater operations but part of a broader energy and utility portfolio.
• Alva-yhtiöt Oy: Multi-utility group providing water services alongside electricity and district heating in the Jyväskylä area. VESKY project co-implementer with comparable water operations but broader energy portfolio.

Direct peers

• Oulun Vesi: Water utility for the Oulu region in northern Finland. VESKY cybersecurity project co-implementer with parallel mandates on water supply, wastewater treatment, and municipal governance.
• HSY (Helsinki Region Environmental Services): Finland's largest water utility serving ~1.4 million residents in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Partnered with Kuopion Vesi on VESKY/VESFY cybersecurity projects and operates the same integrated water supply + wastewater treatment municipal model.
• Tampereen Vesi Oy: Municipal water utility for Tampere, the third-largest city in Finland. Co-implementer in VESKY cybersecurity project; serves the same integrated water and wastewater function for a comparable urban population with similar regulatory and ownership structure.
• Porin Vesi: Water utility for the Pori region on Finland's west coast. VESKY project co-implementer providing integrated water and wastewater services under similar municipal ownership and regulatory framework.
• Kouvolan Vesi Oy: Water utility serving the Kouvola region in southeastern Finland. VESKY co-implementer with comparable water supply and wastewater treatment operations under Finnish municipal ownership.
• Lahti Aqua Oy: Water utility serving the Lahti region. VESKY project co-implementer operating the same municipal water supply and wastewater treatment model with comparable scale and ownership structure.
• Turun Vesihuolto Oy: Water utility for the Turku region in southwest Finland. Another VESKY co-implementer with comparable integrated water supply and wastewater treatment mandate and Finnish municipal ownership model.

Emerging players

• Veolia Water Technologies (Finland operations): Global water technology and services provider with operations in Finland. Competes indirectly by supplying treatment technologies, operational services, and consulting to municipal water utilities like Kuopion Vesi.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kuopionvesi
• Instagraminstagram.com/kuopionvesi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kuopion-vesi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Kuopion Vesi