ISPA PRESS RELEASE No.: 2000/PL/16/P/PE/007 Measure title: Podhale waste water treatment Authority responsible for implementation Name: Ministry of the Environment Address: ul.Wawelska 52/54 00-922 Warsaw (responsible for supervision of the implementing agency) Name: National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management Address: Konstruktorska 3A 00-673 Warsaw, Poland (responsible for preparation of the project, supervision of tendering and contracting and monitoring of the progress of the project ) Name: The Podhale Municipal Company Address: ul. Długa 21, 34-400 Nowy Targ, Poland (responsible for all technical aspects of the implementation of the project ) Location Region: Małoposkie Voivodship Description The project is located in the Małoposkie Voivodship in the very south of Poland on the area of counties Tatra and Nowy Targ. The project area is make up by 13 communes with a population of 161 000 inhabitants. The communes concerned are: Bukowina Tatrzańska, Poronin, Kościelisko, Biały Dunajec, Czarny Dunajec, Czorsztyn, Krościenko, Łapsze Niżne, Nowy Targ, Ochotnica Dolna, Szaflary, City of Szczawnica and City of Nowy Targ. The measure aims at compliance with environmental acquis in the field of the waste water management. The project is situated in the mountainous landscape of the Dunajec river catchment which belongs to the Vistula river basin. The project area is inadequately equipped with sanitary infrastructure. The waste water collection system is underdeveloped and has an extremely high level of infiltration. Only 38% of the population permanently residing in the area is connected to the sewer network. The connection rate varies significantly between communes. The highest connection rate is reported in the municipality of Nowy Targ (87%) and the lowest in the Czarny Dunajec commune (2%). The construction of the sewer system in the total length of 818 km and 47 pumping stations is projected in the overall investment plan for the area. The gravitational type of sewerage represents approximately 98% of the above figure. The entire system will, after implementation of the investment plan, comprise 20 WWTPs with a design capacity of 41 128 m3/day and 1 506 km of the sewer network. It is foreseen that after realisation of the measure almost 100% of the population of the area will be connected to the waste water system. The overall investment needs for the sewerage and WWTP construction activities were estimated at € 141.2 million. The Podhale Association, which was formed with the aim of eliminating shortcomings in waste water management, has established a limited liability company called Podhalańskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunalne (Podhale Municipal Company) which will be in charge of waste water management as well as implementation of the investment plan indicated above. The implementation of the investment plan is sequenced in two phases. Phase I, subject to the present financing memorandum, will focus mainly on a company building Technical Assistance component. The Technical Assistance will build up appropriate capacity in the newly-established company for implementing the entire investment programme which follows in Phase II. In addition, the technical assistance will contribute to the enhancement of the operational and financial performance of the company and accordingly to the sustainability of operations. The technical assistance will also provide support during the implementation of both phases of the measure. The technical assistance may address the following issues as concerns capacity building of the public utility: human resources, management structure, operational issues, transfer of assets, financial management, procurement, capital and investment planning, the tariff system to be applied, management of infrastructure projects, programme management, master planning, and the operational performance of company. Furthermore Phase I will include a minor part of the investment programme, the construction activities of utmost urgency as follows: − The upgrade of WWTPs in Nowy Targ, Niedzica and Czarny Dunajec The Nowy Targ WWTP is a mechanical-chemical-biological plant. It is projected that the plant will receive a volume of waste water which corresponds to the current load of 21 000 m3/day. However the load of pollution will increase from the current 120 000 p.e. to 130 000 p.e. The plant will be modernized and upgraded. The Niedzica WWTP is a mechanical-chemical-biological plant. The current capacity of 429 m3/day, 2 501 p.e. will not meet projected needs after the development of the sewer network in its catchment. Therefore the plant must be up-graded to a capacity of 770 m3/day, 7 700 p.e. The Czarny Dunajec WWTP is a plant with a bio-chemical treatment line with a capacity of 400 m3/day, 1 483 p.e. The capacity of plant will be increased to 1 500 m3/day; 13 300 p.e. − The construction of WWTP in Sromowce Nizne The existing WWTP in Sromowce Nizne is technically in such a bad condition that rehabilitation is not possible within reasonable cost. Therefore a completely new WWTP with the following parameters will be constructed, 140 m3/day, 1 250 p.e. These activities will result in: i) an improvement of the load reduction and in line with requirements of the Polish and EC legislation; ii) compliance of effluent parameters with relevant Polish and EC legislation; and iii) the enhancement of the WWTPs’ capacity as indicated above. − The construction of sewerage The total length of the sanitary sewerage constructed within the scope of this financing memorandum will be 74 674 m of which 954 m under pressure. 7 134 m of the existing sewerage will be sealed and lined as appropriate. Objectives The overall objective of the project is to achieve compliance with the EC Directive 91/271/EEC on Urban Waste Water Treatment. The overall objective will be reached by implementation of both phases of the project. In summary, the specific objectives of the project’s Phase I are: To reduce pollution load of the environment, To improve the quality of water of the Dunajec river, To increase effectivity of the treatment process in WWTPs operating on the project area, • To increase efficiency of the wastewater management system by provision of the technical assistance to the body in charge of the waste water management, To increase quality of life of inhabitants of the concerned communes. Environmental impact analysis A part of infrastructure investment covered by the project falls within projects covered by Annex II of the EIA Directives (85/337/EEC, as amended by 97/11/EC). The relevant national authority issued a decision on obligatory EIA for the extension of the WWTP in Nowy Targ. Since the EIA procedure for the activities is under way, any payment to related works will be subject to condition in Article 8 (4) of the financing memorandum. The activities relating to the construction of sewerage are not covered by the EIA Directives. The relevant authority also issued a declaration confirming that the project has no effect on sites of nature conservation importance (Natura 2000 potential sites). Cost and assistance (in €) Private sector Total eligible Grant Rate Total cost Ineligible cost ISPA grant contribution cost % 19 393 000 - - 19 393 000 12 605 450 65 .