Tallinna Vesi lost 13.01% of the water in its distribution network in 2025, the second year running below its target of 14%. In the third quarter of 2026 the quarterly rate was 10.26%, against 12.12% in the same quarter of 2025.
From a 2022 high
The annual rate reached 16.02% in 2022, the highest in the company's 2016–2025 reports. It fell to 12.94% in 2023 according to the annual reports, or 12.93% according to the 2025 Environmental Report, then stood at 13.67% in 2024. The series has risen and fallen rather than declining steadily: it was 12.42% in 2020 and 15.07% in 2016.
The tools in use
The company laid and reconstructed 45.1 km of pipes in 2025, 49% of them without open trenches, and cleaned 255 km of water mains by ice-pigging and air-scouring. Its 2026 target is 40 km of pipeline construction and renovation. By September 30, 2026, 97.1% of customers were using smart meters, which the company says help detect leaks in customers' pipes as early as possible.
Why it matters for Tallinn
Water demand is flat: the company expects no increase in water service sales in 2026, after supplying 27.73 million m³ of drinking water in 2025. The company sets itself an annual target for the loss rate. Quarterly loss rates vary through the year and are not directly comparable with annual figures, so the full-year 2026 rate will be the real test.
How losses fit with Tallinn's water resources, the institutions that set prices, the condition of the sewer network and the investment program to 2027 is set out in the report. The full report, Water Systems Overview: Tallinna Vesi, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Tallinna Vesi Utility Snapshot.