PGW Wody Polskie carry out intense works to protect residents of the communes of Sandomierz, Samborzec and Koprzywnica from flood effects as efficiently as possible. Thanks to the comprehensive system comprising modernisation of flood embankments and construction and alteration of a pumping station, the safety of residents of Sandomierz and neighbouring areas will increase. The developments within the project called “Flood Protection of Sandomierz” started in 2017 are coming to an end soon. The total worth of the project is PLN 200 million.
On 14 January 2021, Wody Polskie handed over 4 pumping stations for operation in Koćmierzów, Nadbrzezie, Szewce and Zajeziorze. The pumping stations belong to the comprehensive flood protection system. The value of this development is PLN 30 million.
The facility acceptance ceremony was attended by Grzegorz Witkowski, Undersecretary of State from the Ministry of Infrastructure. Wody Polskie was represented by Krzysztof Woś, Deputy President of Wody Polskie for Flood and Drought Protection. The meeting was attended by the local government representatives, including Andrzej Bętkowski, Marshall of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship.
The Deputy Minister Grzegorz Witkowski stressed that investing in the safety of those inhabiting areas exposed to significant flood risk is a priority of the Polish government which is why the developments protecting Sandomierz and adjacent communes directly are so important.
“Our activities have long been focused on protecting people and their belongings as the river is a source of life and it should not be a source of concern. And this is what we have been doing for years. We are handing over a system which can protect from flood though we hope it will be rare. Every zloty invested in protecting people is a well-spent one”, said Deputy Minister Grzegorz Witkowski.
Krzysztof Woś, Deputy President of Wody Polskie for Flood and Drought Protection, stressed that Wody Polskie perceives the flood protection of regions at the Vistula river and its tributaries comprehensively which is of particular importance in Świętokrzyskie and Podkarpackie Voivodeships.
“The flood in 2010 was an incentive to classify such solutions as this pumping station as urgent. And they are a priority for Wody Polskie. This is one of the most important tasks carried out by our Gospodarstwo with respect to flood protection now. This year we will be able to claim that the inhabitants of Sandomierz are safer as all 6 tasks will have been completed”, said Krzysztof Woś, Deputy President of Wody Polskie for Flood and Drought Protection.
Residents of these areas have fought with the flood many times. The most recent one took place in 2010 when up to 35 thousand houses were inundated. This is why the flood protection activities are of immense importance for the local community”, said Andrzej Bętkowski, Marshall of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship.
Project important for the region
“Flood Protection of Sandomierz” is a project consisting of six tasks. It is going to improve safety and ensure protection of life and belongings of ca. 20 thousand residents who were particularly afflicted during the 2010 flood. Its area is ca. 11,300 ha. It is to protect the inhabitants of Sandomierz and adjacent communes, including Samborzec, Koprzywnica, Łoniów, Baranów Sandomierski, Gorzyce, Dwikozy and Zawichost. The project implementation improves flood protection of areas situated at the Vistula river and of the Koprzywianka Valley and reduces the flood risk in Zajeziorze, Szewce and Sośniczany. The total cost of the project, including the construction of embankments, harbour gate and pumping station is close to PLN 200 million. By the end of 2021, the remaining two project tasks will have been completed, i.e. construction of the embankment and the retaining wall with flood-protection harbour gate.
The improved flood protection of Sandomierz will stimulate economic development in the region. The project will contribute to the increased investment attractiveness of the region which will enable to create new workplaces and improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of Sandomierz and its vicinity.
Achievement of comprehensive flood safety consists in protecting not only the Vistula river, but also smaller watercourses crossing the project area. Water pumping stations play an important role here.
Important role of pumping stations
Construction of Koćmierzów pumping station enables to ensure a drainage direction of the Atramentówka watercourse basin alternative to the Vistula river. In times of increased water flow or when it is impossible to discharge the Atramentówka water through Huta, water will be discharged to the surge tank and next pumped to the Vistula using pumps. The project will improve the water conditions between the area behind the embankments and the inter-embankment area of the Vistula, and the flood safety of exposed areas will be much higher.
The alteration and expansion of “Nadbrzezie” pumping station, including the expansion and alteration of the storage and surge reservoir, provides flood protection in the basin of the Struga A watercourse. The pumping station is constructed to drain the area behind the embankments (the Struga A basin) and protect it from inundation during high water level periods in the bed of the Trześniówka river. Moreover, the Struga A watercourse bed had its ooze removed and the bed was made passable. The entire project is carried out in the town of Sandomierz, in the delta of the Trześniówka river estuary to the Vistula river.
“Szewce” pumping station is situated on the left embankment of the Koprzywianka river, at the modernised flood embankment. It was constructed in the site of a former facility. Its major task is to improve protection from inundation and to reduce the flood risk by discharging water from the improved area in Szewce and Sośniczany as well as neighbouring areas. The former pumping station building was demolished and a new facility was constructed. The surge tank was altered, ooze was removed from the ditch draining water to the tank and its bed was made passable. Works connected with making a canal to drain water from the pumping station to the Koprzywianka river were carried out.
“Zajeziorze” pumping station is altered to increase its capacity, meaning more effective drainage of water from the entire improved area. The pumping station is situated on the right flood embankment of the Koprzywianka river, at the watercourse outlet to Zajeziorze. The task included modernisation of the existing pumping station building to adapt it to new pump assemblies, installation of those assemblies and construction of the pumping station chamber and the inlet chamber to the reservoir. What is more, the surge tank and the canal taking the water from the pumping station to the Koprzywianka river were also altered.
The work contractor is Melbud S.A. The project is funded from the funds of the European Union under the Cohesion Fund, World Bank, Council of Europe Development Bank and the Polish Budget.
