Infrastruktura - Środowisko - Energia
Dodatek promocyjno-reklamowy do "RZECZPOSPOLITEJ".
11 września 2006 r.

Water and sewage management

Transformations in Wadowice

Wadowice is witness to the launching of the largest project in the town's history. The project will be beneficial to all: the inhabitants, the town, the commune of Wadowice, the neighbouring communes, the environment and tourists. Soon, Wadowickie Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociagów i Kanalizacji Sp. z o.o. (WPWiK) will begin execution of 17.6 million euros-worth investment tasks. On 16 December 2004, the EU authorities in Brussels issued a decision to award financial support for the project. However, according to Andrzej Smaga, Chairman of the Board, WPWiK, before the co-funding agreement with the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management was signed, many conditions had still to be met. One of the biggest problems consisted in complying with Directive 85/337/EEC which required carrying out an assessment of the project's environmental effects - Environmental Impact Assessment for co-funded projects. The grant awarded by the European Commission will cover 85% of the project's costs. The remaining amount will come from the beneficiary - the town of Wadowice - which will use a loan from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and WPWiK's own resources. Construction works are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008.

The project consists of 4 tasks: modernization and extension of a wastewater treatment plant, construction of 52 km of sanitary sewer network (including a passage and a pumping station under the Skawa river), modernization of Zakład Uzdatniania Wody (water treatment plant) and construction of 16 km of water distrbution network with 4 water boosting stations. The new lines are to be constructed in the neighbouring towns of Chocznia, Jaroszowice, Ponikiew, Ponikiew-Chobot and the developing district of Wadowice - Zaskawie.

"Right after the favourable decision of the European Commission, we have created a Project Implementation Unit and appointed Jan Bliźniak, Eng, Technical Director to act as Measure Authorizing Officer", says Andrzej Smaga. "We have already announced a tender for a contractor to construct a sanitary sewer network in Jaroszewice, Ponikiew-Chobot and Wadowice-Zaskawie. After the contractor is selected, works will commence very quickly as we have already obtained building permits. Soon, we will also announce the remaining tenders."

Parallel to construction works, a 20 year old wastewater treatment plant will be modernized and extended. Today, with the town dynamically developing, the facility no longer meets the town's needs. "The plant has ceased handling the so-called brought sewage. After modernization of the sewage and sludge treatment lines, introduction of automation and plant steering systems, its capacity will increase to 69 600 PE*. We will therefore be able to collect sewage from other communes as well", explains Jan Bliźniak.

Modernization of the sewage treatment plant coupled with the extension of the sanitary sewer system will lead to liquidation of cesspools and reduction of illegal sewage discharges into the Skawa river which is a water supply source for the town. Modernization of Zakład Uzdatniania Wody (water treatment plant), on the other hand, will improve water quality bringing it up to EU standards. It will make water tasty and will minimize the frequency of network failure occurrences.

Wadowice - the town of pilgrims and tourists

A town of 20 thousand inhabitants, Wadowice attracts today thousands of tourists. It constitutes the most important meeting point for tourists and pilgrims on the papal trail. However, in order to ensure European standard services, Wadowice needs new hotels, guest houses as well as gastronomic and recreation facilities. The town is planning to create a water reservoir Wadowice Lake on the Skawina river in Świnna Poręba with nearby recreation-sports facilities. This will naturally require investments. "We have already spotted investor interest in the area selected for the new infrastructure", says Andrzej Smaga. But economic revival will take place sooner - it will begin the moment contractors enter construction sites as implementation of investment tasks will create new jobs.

Challenges

The project creates a considerable challenge for WPWiK. "The company will acquire new assets and customers. Although water and sewage prices may rise, we want to minimize the financial burden for the inhabitants and spread the costs over many years", explains Jan Bliźniak. Andrzej Smaga adds that the company will continue modernization and expansion of the infrastructure. The water and sewage lines in the town centre are 60 years old and need to be replaced. "In this way we will eliminate network failures and water losses and will gain new customers. The combined sewer in the town centre needs to be separated into a sanitary sewer and a stormwater system. Currently, some sections of this network feature brick lines which are now real relics of the past. We also need to extend the network to new residential districts. To this end, WPWiK will apply for EU assistance."

How to convince the inhabitants

Currently, the company management is attending meetings with the inhabitants of the areas which have been recently covered by the network. "One of the prerequisites for EU grant consists in the so-called ecological and economic effect. In other words, we need to connect to the network all households located in the areas recently covered by the sewage system. That is why we are trying to convince the inhabitants about the benefits of sewer connection, especially as it is in fact a cheaper solution", says Jan Bliźniak. "People are happy about the new investment but when it comes to bearing the costs of materials and installation of sewer laterals, they hesitate. We suggest that they already begin to put aside money for this purpose."

According to Andrzej Smaga, the times of illegal unpunished sewage discharges is drawing to an end. We need to be aware of this while taking actions in the area of water and sewage management in the commune. We hope also that the ecological awareness of our inhabitants will grow fast.

Maria Weber

* PE (Population Equivalent) - population equivalent means the organic biodegradable load having a 5-day biochemical oxygen demand of 60g of oxygen per day.

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