Water

Water is a natural resource without which there would be no life on earth. Clean groundwater is produced over a long period of time and therefore needs to be used sustainably. Human activity affects both the cleanliness and availability of fresh water. Water quality may, for example, be affected by chemical residues from sewage treatment plants and arable land. In the course of production and other activities, pollution of water bodies, surface water and groundwater must be avoided so that clean water remains available.

Water statistics show

  • how much water is consumed in Estonia;
  • how many consumers receive quality drinking water from public water supply;
  • what is the share and volume of treated waste water;
  • the level of organic pollution load of discharges into surface water bodies;
  • how many surface water bodies are in good condition.

Based on water statistics, national water protection programmes can be developed and implemented and legislation can be improved. The data are used to monitor the environmental strategy to ensure good status of surface and groundwater and to keep water bodies in good condition.

Water extraction (incl. mining water) 861.58 million m³
-14.4%
2020
Water use 704.28 thousand m³
-15.5%
2020
Share of wastewater with at least secondary treatment 91 million m³
-20.0%
2021
Share of consumers receiving quality drinking water from public water supply 98.3 %
2022
Share of surface water bodies in at least good overall status 52 %
2021
Organic pollution load (BOD7) of wastewater discharged to surface water bodies 894 tonnes
-14.9%
2020
Groundwater extraction | 2020
Surface water extraction | 2020
Water extraction | 2012 – 2020
Unit: thousand cubic metres
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Water total 1,635,552 1,752,462 1,724,166 1,615,042 1,755,897 1,788,231 1,608,206 1,006,121 861,577
Ground water 46,522 45,069 45,520 44,094 44,326 44,839 46,620 44,912 44,976
Mining water 226,992 167,689 153,220 157,111 177,080 202,016 166,594 183,829 176,278
Surface water 1,357,164 1,535,011 1,520,932 1,410,050 1,530,449 1,537,535 1,391,623 775,287 635,295
Sea water 4,864 4,680 4,475 3,768 4,042 3,817 3,348 2,069 5,001
Mineral water 11 13 19 18 9 23 21 24 27

Water use | 2012 – 2020
Unit: thousand cubic metres
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Fields of water use total 1,399,755 1,576,415 1,561,065 1,486,685 1,602,495 1,579,370 1,435,717 833,136 704,279
Domestic sector 39,831 40,475 40,840 40,190 41,438 40,574 42,431 42,384 42,890
Industry 28,970 29,360 28,713 28,070 27,471 28,909 28,565 58,785 56,405
Energy supply 7,270 7,625 8,055 7,732 5,792 6,507 7,881 6,766 7,009
Cooling water 1,314,840 1,488,040 1,476,549 1,402,558 1,520,989 1,495,608 1,348,464 718,019 585,326
Agriculture 4,528 4,648 4,734 4,628 4,451 4,461 4,708 4,851 4,882
Irrigation water 201 270 426 389 371 459 488 332 307
Other water use 4,116 5,997 1,748 3,118 1,982 2,851 3,180 1,999 7,459

Pollution load to surface water bodies with discharged wastewater | 2012 – 2020
Unit: tons
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD7) 720 814 663 670 842 1,051 1,020 1,050 894
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD-Cr) 7,171 6,651 7,667 7,749 8,791 9,444 10,646 10,956 9,725
Suspended solids 2,895 2,461 2,254 2,164 2,687 2,661 2,321 2,300 2,003
Total nitrogen 1,612 1,228 1,138 1,029 1,221 1,306 1,201 1,338 1,178
Total phosphorus 100 66 59 55 59 58 54 58 57