Safe sewerage for healthy environment: cross-border solutions of Lutsk and Białystok

Under the project partners aim to tackle the common challenge of unsafe sewage systems in the cities of Lutsk and Białystok. This results from poor technical condition of existing large sewage collectors, situated in densely populated districts of the cities in close vicinity to rivers Styr in Lutsk and Biała in Białystok. Failures and numerous leaks in sewage collectors cause groundwater pollution, result in higher costs for maintenance of sewage collectors and olfactory inconvenience for population living and working near leaky sewage collectors. Exfiltration (penetration) of sewage from leaky sewers into ground poses direct threat of sewage entering Styr and Biała rivers and their contamination. Overgrowth of shrub and tree roots at pipe junctions causes disruptions in sewage flow, enlarging leaks, and posing a direct threat to collector pipe damage. If no measures taken, this will finally lead to big cracks in sewage pipes, and respectively ecological disaster. Unsafety of sewage systems results also from insufficient technical resources of partners. Lead Partner does not have TV inspection device thus faces troubles with examination of the sewage system, delays in detection of problems, which is crucial for environment, well-being of residents and functioning of the city. Project Partner is in need of monitoring equipment for ensuring proper work of the modernized under the project sewage collectors. Partners lack qualified personnel to ensure safe functioning of sewerage involving modern technologies. Another challenge is insufficient public awareness regarding environmental care, rational water treatment, proper usage of sewer lines, etc, which results in unsafety of sewage system because of clogging of sewage lines. Project partners aims to reach the overall objective - to reduce threats to the environment, especially rivers, and contribute to environmental health by introducing measures for safe functioning of sewage systems in Lutsk and Białystok. Overall objective will be reached though taking the following measures: modernization of sewage collectors, located in densely populated residential districts of Lutsk and Białystok near rivers Styr and Biała; purchase of sewerage supportive equipment for timely detection of problems and monitoring the sewage systems; conduction of capacity building activities for partners’ personnel; introduction of multilateral educational and promotional means: cross-border campaign “Sewerage is not a garbage bin”, Ecospace in Lutsk. Project is a complex solution contributing to safety of sewage systems in Lutsk and Białystok, beneficial to environment and many target groups. Waters of rivers Styr in Lutsk and Biała in Białystok will be protected because of modernized sewage collectors. Effectiveness of waste water treatment services will be raised due to partners' usage of sewerage supportive equipment: mobile teleinspection laboratory in Lutsk and wastewater flow meters in Białystok. State of waste water management in Lutsk and Białystok will be improved due to raised qualification of partners’ specialist through gaining and exchange of expertise during conference, training and study visits. Environmental awareness of population of Lutsk and Białystok will be raised through multilateral educational and promotional means: activities of cross-border campaign “Sewerage is not a garbage bin”, water treatment Ecospace in Lutsk. Population of Lutsk and Białystok will benefit from safe sewage system, proper sewage services, absence of olfactory inconvenience. Developed project logo, produced promotional materials will promote partnership, project, Programme, donor as well as contribute to environmental effects of the project. Project foresees cross-border approach as all activities will be implemented in close cooperation between partners, will be beneficial to both partners and will bring considerable environmental effects on both sides of the border.