Waterworks

Clean drinking water for everyone

A strategic approach to a sustainable drinking water supply for Åland

Åland Water has put new focus on our strategic and sustainable development work since the autumn of 2016. The process has been linked with two ongoing processes in Åland: the work with a sustainable food strategy for Åland and the Åland Development and Sustainability Agenda, where the goal 3 says “All water is of good quality” (www.barkraft.ax).

The process has also developed into a best practice experience within the Central Baltic WATERCHAIN project where Åland Water used this strategic approach to be able to identify suitable measures to reduce nutrients and hazardous substances.

A great effort to lay the foundation for a sustainable drinking water supply for Åland has already been made and we at Åland Water are very pleased with the result.

We have documented our process to help and inspire other actors who want to do similar sustainability work within their organization. A clear vision and defined targets are a prerequisite to be able to start analyze, plan, develop and cooperate for sustainability. Here we describe our vision, our core values and our strategic development goals.

For information about the whole process please see these documents and the film about our work.

Sustainable drinking water supply for Åland

Our vision – Raw water

“Independent of human impact, our raw water is of excellent quality, and ecosystems in the lakes are in balance. At the same time the production and distribution of drinking water is carried out in a sustainable way.”

The vision explained:

”Independent of Human Impact”
Human activities include wastewater, use of pharmaceuticals, hazardous substances and harmful particles. In the precipitation area, the human activity does not affect the raw water in a negative way.

”Raw water”
Lakes and ground water; and in some cases, sea and coastal water.

” Excellent quality”
The water complies with all regulatory requirements and is clean and healthy.

”The ecosystems in the lakes are in balance”
Lakes with ecosystems in balance can withstand more and manage to recover at temporary loads.

”Sustainable drinking water production”
Water production within the framework of the four sustainability principles. :

In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing…
1. … concentrations of substances from the earth’s crust.
2. … concentrations of substances produced by society.
3. … degradation by physical means.

And in that society there are no structural obstacles to…
4. … people’s health, influence, competence and impartiality.

Core values

Strategic development

Strategic development goals for a sustainable drinking water supply for åland until the year 2030.

In the year 2030, 95 % of the Åland population make active decisions and take active responsibility in their everyday life from a water protection perspective.
The ecological status, concerning nutrients, in our raw water lakes have stabilized at a good level according to the Water Framework Directive by 2030 and at an excellent level by 2051.
The knowledge of harmful substances in the raw water has increased significantly by 2025, reduced to non-harmful levels by 2030 and emissions have ended in 2051.
The risks of contamination of microbiological compounds related to human activity have been minimized and detection and warning systems have been established, in established/present raw water lakes by 2020 and in reserve water lakes by 2051.
The adequate access to water, concerning both quality and quantity, has been ensured by 2030. Sub-objectives include establishing new water resources by 2018, and action programs for the same will be established by 2020. The water quality is good by 2030.
In the catchment areas, business activities are flourishing and do not affect water quality in the lakes in a negative way. New innovative methods have been developed and implemented through cooperation across the sectors.
The biodiversity is high in and around the lakes, and ecosystems are well functioning (in balance).

Solutions for a sustainable drinking water supply

Solutions for a sustainable drinking water supply identified in the process comprises a table of about 10 pages and has been categorized according to these categories:

Overall process measures for sustainable drinking water supply
New raw water lakes / water protection areas
Legislation / rules / supervision / economic instruments
Infrastructure; roads / construction / industry / planning
Information / communication / collaboration / facts / training
Agriculture / forestry / fishing / sewer / water conservation
Innovations / “New Thinking” concerning use of water

For more information at Åland Water please click here.