Clean water and new sewage systems thanks to NFOŚiGW and European funds

Residents of municipalities will gain better access to water and sewage systems thanks to the support of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, financed by European Funds. Local governments are expanding water and sewage networks, modernizing treatment plants, and implementing technologies that will reduce water losses.

Funding for the Water and Sewage Management action comes from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment (FEnIKS) 2021-2027 program. For this purpose, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is allocating 1.7 billion PLN in the second competition.

More homes will gain access to the sewage network, which will improve sanitary safety.

Modernization of treatment plants will reduce the emission of pollutants into rivers and lakes.

– Thanks to funds from the FEnIKS program, we help local governments effectively respond to challenges in water and sewage management. Modernization and expansion of local sewage networks proceed faster and relieve municipal budgets. Each completed investment is a real improvement for residents: access to high-quality tap water and fewer network failures, said Robert Gajda, deputy chairman of the board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

Municipalities and water and sewage companies face increasingly greater challenges. On one hand, they must provide residents with high-quality water, on the other, protect natural resources and meet rising environmental standards. Many local water and sewage systems cannot keep up with demographic and economic development. Local government units and their associations, water and sewage companies, and water companies could apply for funds for expanding local systems from the FEnIKS program.

In the latest round, projects from Nowy Targ, Warsaw, Bydgoszcz, Niepołomice, and Czernica have already received funding decisions.

In Bydgoszcz, the Municipal Water and Sewage Company will modernize the Fordon wastewater treatment plant. The investment, worth over 192 million PLN, will receive nearly 109 million PLN in funding from the European Union. The reconstruction will increase the plant’s capacity, enable more effective wastewater treatment, and improve water quality in the region.

In Nowy Targ, the Municipal Water and Sewage Company is implementing the Expansion and Modernization of Sewage Management – Phase III project, worth over 119 million PLN, of which more than 68 million PLN comes from European Funds. The investment will expand the sewage network and modernize the treatment plant, helping reduce water pollution and improve environmental conditions.

In Niepołomice, Infrastruktura Niepołomice is conducting a project worth over 107 million PLN, with more than 61 million PLN coming from EU funds. Thanks to this financing, the municipal company will modernize the wastewater treatment plant, build 4.4 km of sewage network, and reconstruct 6.2 km. The water network will increase by 2.4 km. A new water treatment station will also be built in Podłęże. This will give residents better access to clean water and increase the efficiency of wastewater treatment.

In Czernica, the Municipal Services Company will implement a water and sewage management improvement project worth over 23 million PLN, co-financed with more than 13 million PLN from the European Union. Nearly 8 km of new sewage network will be built in Chrząstawa Mała, enabling 640 residents to connect to the system and improving the municipality’s sewage coverage.

In Warsaw, MPWiK is carrying out the Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment – Phase VII, Stage IV project, worth over 194 million PLN, with more than 111 million PLN in EU funding. Over 8 km of new sewage network will be built, and 4 km will be modernized. This will allow an additional 1,300 residents to use the collective sewage system, improving wastewater collection and treatment and enhancing environmental conditions in the capital.

Ongoing climate changes increase the importance of sustainable water management actions. The Water and Sewage Management program also funds the implementation of intelligent water and sewage network management systems that support the protection of water resources. Sensors and analyzers detecting water losses and pinpointing leak locations allow immediate response to failures.

The program also supports investments using renewable energy at treatment plants, such as biogas installations that produce energy from sewage sludge. These solutions not only reduce operating costs but also lower the carbon footprint of the entire water and sewage system.

Infrastructure modernization does not end when the installation is put into operation. Employees of local water companies will train in operating new technologies. Residents, in turn, by participating in planned educational activities, will learn how to use water resources rationally and why it is beneficial to connect to the sewage system.

The FEnIKS program combines EU funds with local engagement. The benefits of these actions are felt locally and nationally: improved surface water quality, access to network water, fewer failures, lower operating costs, and better quality of life for residents. It is also a stimulus for economic development and increased resilience to the effects of climate change.

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main photo: Adobe Stock

source: NFOŚiGW