Krakow, Poland : water/wastewater project -- 1990-1997 : final project report

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on a project (1990-97) to improve water and wastewater management in Krakow, Poland. Specific objectives were to upgrade two drinking water treatment plants, two wastewater treatment plants, and a central laboratory that supports drinking water and wastewater facilities. EPA provided equipment, supplies, replacement parts, and appropriate training for Krakow personnel. Equipment acquisition and delivery was closely coordinated with design and construction activities for which the City of Krakow was responsible. As of early April 1997, the project is essentially complete. All major items of equipment have been delivered and placed in service. Belt filter presses and related equipment and supplies for the Raba drinking water treatment plant and the Myslenice wastewater treatment plant, originally included in the project, cannot be provided due to insufficient funds. Balancing this shortfall is the provision of more chlorination equipment than was originally envisioned. This additional equipment was used at the storage/rechlorination facility at Siercza which is situated between the Raba treatment plant and the city of Krakow. Overall, the project has been a great success, achieving most of its original objectives including improving the quality of drinking water produced; providing the ability to monitor raw water before it enters the treatment process; enhancing the ability of the water and wastewater utility in Krakow to do a full range of analytical test to monitor the quality of raw water entering the water treatment processes and to measure the effectiveness of the treatment processes; and providing American firms the opportunity to introduce their equipment and services into a new market. U.S. investment in equipment and services was matched "dollar-for-dollar" by Polish investment in design and construction of buildings in which the equipment is housed. (Author abstract, modified)