Energia - Środowisko - Infrastruktura
Dodatek promocyjno-reklamowy do "RZECZPOSPOLITEJ".
21 marca 2006 r.

Closer to European standards

Interview with Wanda Kobla, Head of Project Implementation Unit in Katowice City Hall

Recently the city of Katowice faced a difficult environmental situation caused by serious contamination of the Rawa River and the damaging impact of mining activities on the riverbed. It became necessary to make substantial environmental investments. What is their purpose?

Mining has had a significant negative impact on the Rawa River. It has led to lowering of catchment and caused damage to the riverbed. As a consequence, on some stretches the river is polluted from sewage leakages. Another problem is basement flooding caused by sewage backups and excess stormwater carried by sewers from the river towards buildings during heavy rainfalls. The sewage system in Katowice is over 80 years old and additionally damaged by mining activities. Therefore, we often face leakages and collector failures which impede transmission of sanitary sewage and storm water drainage to the treatment plant.

To change this situation, the city authorities took actions to improve sewage management system in the catchment area of the Rawa River. The first step involved river engineering. The investment has been already implemented in 90% by the former managing body - Rejonowe Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji in Katowice (currently the managing body is the Regional Board for Water Management).

Investment costs probably exceed financial capabilities of the city. How did you obtain funds necessary to implement the project?

We knew from the beginning that our budget was too small to implement the investment over a short time. That is why Katowice, as one of the first cities in Poland, applied for European Commission assistance under the ISPA pre-accession fund. After Poland had signed the Accession Treaty, the ISPA fund was replaced with the Cohesion Fund.

In July 2001, our projects worth around 50 million euro were approved by the European Commission. Two years later we signed contracts for construction of a sewage treatment plant, and, in April 2004, one for construction of sewage system. This year, after approval from the European Commission, we plan to sign a contract for construction of sewage system in another district of Katowice, within a smaller project. Over 60% of total investments costs will be covered from the Cohesion Fund's direct assistance. The remaining investment cost will be financed from the city budget, the City Fund for Environmental Protection and a loan from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. The project implementation is scheduled for 2002-2007.

European Commission's programmes for investment co-funding are realized through a decentralised mechanism. What does it mean?

It means that city authorities apply for financial assistance, prepare tender materials, sign agreements, supervise project implementation, prepare in-kind and financial reporting and arrange project publication under the supervision of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry for Regional Development and the Ministry of Finance. I would also like to add that we consulted on the technical and economic aspects of our project with EU experts, who assessed it very positively.

The project is being implemented through four contracts. What is their scope?

The first contract involves verification and translation of tender materials for subsequent contractors. Under the second contract, executed by the consortium of ILF Austria, Biprowod Warszawa and WBP Zabrze, a group of experts manages contracts, supervises and prepares accounts for contracted works, checks and approves construction project for the waste water treatment plant.

The third contract concerns engineering and construction of the new sewage system and involves mainly modernization of 7 km of the sewage network (2.0m - 0.5m diameter sewers) in the Rawa River catchment area. Construction works within this contract are being carried out in the city centre characterized by heavy tram and road traffic, high density of buildings and extensive underground infrastructure which is often not listed on inventory. Upgraded sewage network will collect sanitary sewage and stormwater drainage form all areas of the catchment. New leak-tight sewage system will prevent sewage from seeping into the soil and river and will reduce untreated sewage overflows to the Rawa.

The fourth contract covers design and construction of a sewage treatment plant in Zawodzie which will replace the existing facility "Centrum-Gigablok". However, until full completion of construction works, sewage will be treated in the old plant as the plant structures will be dismantled only after the new facility is put into operation in late 2006. The contractor is the consortium of Hydrobudowa 6 SA and Passavant Roediger Anlagebau GmbH. The new treatment plant with capacity of 40 000 m3/d and RLM 200 000 will allow us to meet EU requirements on the quality of treated sewage.

Modernization is not easy, as works are being carried out in the city centre where high density of buildings and heavy traffic pose considerable obstacles. Is it possible to carry out works and at the same time avoid inconveniences for the community?

If we take a look around, we will see that tram and road traffic in Katowice has not been halted. Obviously, construction works cause certain inconveniences but we are making continuous efforts to minimize them. For example, in order to reduce construction impacts on the community, we decided to use the trenchless method of micotunnelling for the construction of 2.0m and 1.6m diameter sewers. Thanks to the application of microtunnelling - which is one of the most modern technologies in the area of sanitary installations - we could keep the city's main street open for traffic. Neither have tram lines, which connect several cities of the agglomeration, been suspended from service. It is also important to note that application of the traditional tunnelling method involving extensive excavations would have posed a major threat to old buildings in the city centre.

Microtunnelling works were carried out by Ludwig Pfeiffer Hoch which is in consortium with Hydrobudowa 6 SA and Bilfinger Berger AG. Thanks to the company's extensive experience in this type of projects, works progressed very quickly. The main tasks were completed last July.

In order to meet the investment timetable, which envisages full completion of works in the 4th quarter of 2006, construction of the sewage network is, if possible, done even during winter months.

What benefits will this investment bring for the inhabitants of Katowice?

If we approach the investment from the perspective of our membership in the European Union and the goals of the Cohesion Fund, we may say that the project seeks to reduce economic and social disparities in the Community. We should also remember that thanks to this investment we will align our environmental policy with EU requirements and thereby avoid pollution penalties which we would have otherwise faced in the future. The project will undoubtedly enhance living conditions in Katowice and will raise the attractiveness of the urban waterfronts. Implementation of the project has provided an economic stimulus and created new jobs.

Thank you.

Piotr Janczarek

www.um.katowice.pl