Tampere continues pumping drinking water near endangered mussel habitat despite conservation warnings

Tampere’s water utility is still extracting drinking water from the Pinsiö groundwater area, directly affecting the Pinsiön-Matalusjoki river—one of only three remaining habitats in Pirkanmaa for the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussel, known locally as *raakku*, public broadcaster Yle reports.

Conservationists from the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) warn that the water extraction has halted the mussels’ reproduction in the river, with no new adults emerging in decades. The youngest adult mussels in the population are now around 35 years old, and researchers link the decline to reduced water levels since pumping began in 1976.

Tampere Water, the municipal utility, defends the practice under a 1969 permit, citing supply security for roughly 30,000 households. CEO Juha Rintamäki acknowledged environmental concerns but stated the company balances multiple priorities, including ongoing research and protection projects for the river.

Activists Tiina Kauppi and Kaija Helle argue the original permit—granted when nearby Lake Näsijärvi’s water quality was poor due to industrial pollution—would not be approved today. They claim the utility has ignored decades of scientific warnings that continued extraction risks wiping out the mussel population entirely.

The dispute has dragged on for years, with conservation groups repeatedly calling for reduced pumping near the river. Tampere’s city council discussed the issue in 2025 but reached no resolution.