Energia - Środowisko
Dodatek promocyjno-reklamowy do "RZECZPOSPOLITEJ".
15 listopada 2005 r.

Racibórz goes for ecology

Statement by Jan Osuchowski, Mayor of Raciborz

For many years Racibórz has pursued policy aimed at environmental protection. The first success of the town was the environmental ISO 14001 certificate. Up till now Racibórz is the only municipality in Poland which holds such a certificate.

In order to improve living conditions and enhance environmental protection, in July 2004 Racibórz Town Council passed a resolution approving the application for Cohesion Fund co-financing of a comprehensive project for water and sewage management system. The application was submitted to the European Commission in August 2004 and in September 2004 the town began preparations for project implementation. In October 2004, Project Implementation Unit and Measure Authorising Officer were designated and the town began to prepare project documentation for the contract, which was to be executed on the basis of the documentation provided by the Employer. Thanks to the well-prepared application, on 16 December 2004 the town was awarded a Cohesion Fund grant for the project on "Water and sewage management system in Racibórz". The project's net qualified expenditures of 20.5 million euros will be co-financed in 71%, which means that the town will receive 15.5 million euros in grant.

The scope of the project includes implementation of the following tasks, split into contracts:

• Contract No. 1: implemented in accordance with Conditions of Contract for plant and design - build (the so-called FIDIC "Yellow Book") encompassing:

  Modernization of wastewater treatment plant in Racibórz. Modernization of Racibórz wastewater treatment plant includes: modernization of the sewage section, modernization of the sludge section and construction of a sludge dryer with a pyrolysis installation. Modernization of the treatment plant will be carried out through construction of new sewage treatment facilities (separated fermentation chamber, sludge thickening station, sludge dryer with pyrolysis installation) and rehabilitation of the existing buildings in both the biologic and the sludge section of the treatment plant in order to ensure removal of biological nitrogen and phosphorous. Thanks to its modernization, the plant will comply with treated sewage quality standards specified in the Polish and European Union legislation.

• • Contract No.2: implemented in accordance with Conditions of Contract for plant and design - build (the so-called FIDIC "yellow book") encompassing:

  a) Construction and modernization of sanitary sewage system in the municipality of Racibórz.

  Construction of sanitary sewage system in the districts not covered by the sewage system, such as: Ocice, Brzezie, Sudół, Markowice, Miedonia, Płonia. Due to topographic features of Racibórz, the areas in question will be covered mainly by gravitational sewage system. In the case of Markowice and Brzezie, the system will be supported by a pumping system. The Ostróg sanitary sewage section will be modernized.

  b) Construction and modernization of stormwater system in the municipality of Racibórz.

  Construction of the stormwater system will be carried out in the district of Ocice in the area of Górna Street and Gruntowa Street. Modernization will include rehabilitation of the stormwater collector located in the 1^st May Street and Piaskowa Street to improve the technical condition of water drains which carry stormwater from storm drain inlets into the river Odra.

  c) Construction of a water intake with supply pipelines in Skrzybnik.

  It will be necessary to construct 5 groundwater deep wells and to intake 500 cubic meters of water per hour from tertiary and quaternary formations located at the depth of 47.30 to 56.60 meters below the ground level. The water intaken will be pumped by deep-well pumps to Starowiejska Street and then conveyed to Water Treatment Station located at 1^st May Street.

  d) Construction and modernization of water supply system in Racibórz.

  This task includes construction of water supply system in the districts of Brzezie, Ocice, Markowice, Sudół and modernization of water supply system in the district of Brzezie, Sudół, Ostróg and Stara Wieś. It includes replacement of asbestos-cement lines and rehabilitation of pipelines which are in bad technical condition.

• Contract No. 3: implemented in accordance with Conditions of Contract for plant and design - build (the so-called FIDIC "yellow book") encompassing:

  Construction of sanitary sewage system in Rybnicka Street.

  This task was separated from Contract No. 2 due to planned road reconstruction.

• Contract No. 5: implemented in accordance with Conditions of Contract for Construction works designed by the Employer (the so-called FIDIC "red book") encompassing:

  a) reinforcement of 16 drain outlets

  b) development of pre-treatment facilities at 16 drain outlets

  c) modernization of "Gamowska" Water Treatment Station

  d) modernization and construction of a hydrophore unit

The project envisages also signing of 4 service contracts (Contract No. 4, 6,7 and 8). Up till now, 43 service contracts have been signed, including a contract for engineering services which became effective in September 2005. The first phase of the procedure for the award of public procurement contracts is planned to be completed in November 2005.

Since Racibórz is a Cohesion Fund beneficiary, the town office established a Project Implementation Unit. The Unit is divided into three sub-units dealing with finances, project organization and technical matters. Technical Team was created in Zakład Wodociągów i Kanalizacji (waterworks and sewage system company) in Racibórz. Such a structure of the Unit ensures efficient management of investments despite many problems which often occur in the case of Cohesion Fund projects. A pre-implementation control carried out in April 2005 by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management confirmed that the unit was organized in a proper manner. In August this year the agreement for project co-financing between the town of Racibórz and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management was signed. The agreement regulates the parties' rights and obligations and allows the town to apply for next tranches of EU aid.

The PIU employees face many challenges: by the end of 2005 all decisions regarding the location of the investment and environmental conditions of the project are to be obtained. Such a tight schedule is a result of the works completion deadline set in the European Commission's decision. The main task for the Measure Authorising Officer and his subordinate Project Implementation Unit is to realize all investments included in the scope of the project and thus to achieve ecological objectives defined in the Commission's decision within the set deadline and budget. The Unit is subject to regular controls by national managing authorities for the Cohesion Fund, European Commission representatives and the Internal Auditor. The controls which have been carried out so far confirmed that the project is well managed. n

Urząd Miasta Racibórz
47-400 Racibórz, ul. Batorego 6
tel. (032) 755-06-56, fax (032) 415-49-21
www.raciborz.pl/programkanalizacji