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

A hundred-year old waterworks and its modern offer

Interview with Tadeusz Rzepecki, President of the Board, Tarnowskie Wodociągi Sp. z o.o.

Tarnowskie Wodociągi Sp. z o.o. - a company responsible for the management of water and sewage system in Tarnów and its surrounding area. It is heir to the tradition of the first modern water systems in Tarnów (construction in the years 1907-1919). The company has a substantial capital (about 150 million Polish Zloty), several efficient intakes of high quality water and a great technical potential.

Tarnowskie Wodociągi have not only a long tradition but also an innovative offer. How many local municipalities do you provide your services to?

Tarnów waterworks are nearly 100 years old. Thanks to the company's tradition and potential we have been able to create a new offensive development strategy based on careful economic and technologic analysis of the solutions offered. We offer our neighbouring municipalities co-operation in the area of water excavation, purification and supply as well as sewage reception and treatment. We supply water to eight municipalities and we hope to expand our activities to between ten and twenty municipalities. Currently we also provide sewage reception services and treatment to seven municipalities and several more have already declared their interest in co-operating with us in this area. At present we are implementing an ambitious plan to install sewer systems in three municipalities which fully transferred to us their tasks of water supply and sewage transport. Financed from the Cohesion Fund, the programme envisages implementation of an investment worth 40 million euros in the years 2005-2008.

What does your motto "Nothing without good water" stand for?

The motto we have adopted in our strategy is "Nothing without good water". In practice, these words stand for the main aim of our company, that is supply of high quality water which meets norms and quality requirements imposed by the Polish legislation at all times. Currently we are taking water from one surface water intake and three ground water intakes. Thanks to our water purification plants we meet all required physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters of drinking water even in extremely difficult periods of flood water flows on the Dunajec river. Nevertheless, in view of tightening water quality requirements, we have drawn up an ambitious investment programme, co-financed from European Union's aid funds, to fully modernize Water Purification Plant in Zbylitowska Góra (surface water intake from the Dunajec).

The current regulations on treated sewage quality are very strict. What does your company do to fulfil them?

We are proud to say that at the time strict regulations on the quality of treated sewage became effective, our treatment plant had already complied with even the tightest of requirements, especially in the field of Nitrogen 10. Although we treat sewage from Zakłady Azotowe SA (Nitrogen Plant) in Mościce - which is, as we know, rich in many forms of nitrogen - we comply with the norms on total nitrogen concentration at the plant discharge point. In 2004 and 2005 we have achieved annual averages of 5.6 mg N/l and 5.5 mg N/l respectively (the averages cover also winter periods). We owe the possibility to maintain these and other norms and parameters (COD - chemical oxygen demand, BOD5 - biological oxygen demand, suspension and total phosphorous) to our (own) good technology and high-quality specialists who supervise the treatment processes. Unfortunately, we are still lacking a sewage sludge utilization facility, especially for drying and thermal utilization. We are now implementing the first stage of the project with the help from EU funds; the second stage will be implemented in the coming years, probably in 2010-2012.

EM

Tarnowskie Wodociągi Sp. z o.o.
33-100 Tarnów, ul. Narutowicza 37
tel. (014) 623-53-00, fax (014) 623-54-00
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tw.tarnow.pl