Rocks turn white along Tornio River as wastewater issues escalate in Finland

Arne Nousiainen from Pellolainen noticed an unusual change along the banks of the well-known Tornio River, as the rocks appeared to have turned white. With the water level dropping, a slimy layer developed in the riverside water. Initially, Nousiainen suspected this phenomenon was linked to restoration work in nearby streams.

Usually, he checks his fishing pots, located about 500 meters from a sewage pumping station, twice each summer. This year, he found himself cleaning them almost continuously due to their unpleasant condition, expressing concern over the state of the riverbank, which deterred him from swimming. The situation escalated when he discovered tampons, condoms, and toilet paper floating in the water, prompting him to contact environmental authorities.

A representative from the municipality’s environmental monitoring, Harri Katainen, revealed that one of the two pumps at the sewage station had malfunctioned. This failure led to the discharge of wastewater from around 100 households into an overflow pipe and subsequently into the Tornio River every other week, while the operational pump handled the wastewater appropriately.

Katainen does not believe the discharge has significantly harmed the environment, as the river’s strong flow tends to dilute any bacteria or nutrients quickly. Nonetheless, it might have caused local disruptions. The pumping station is managed by Pellon Vesikunta, with CEO Taisto Ylisaukko-oja expressing regret that the issue wasn’t reported earlier in the summer, as it had gone unnoticed during weekly checks. Repairs are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, alongside efforts to remove the floating sludge and reduce bacterial levels through liming.