SENSIBILISATION OF THE PUBLIC WATER UTILITY COMPANIES IN WATER ECONOMY IN THE UPPER VISTULA RIVER BASIN

Due to the specifics of the water use in the upper Vistula basin and the complicated nature of the corresponding issues, one of the topics developed under Component #04 of the World Bank Program "Water Planning and Management" relates to the study of leaks and water loss in public water utility pipelines and the organization of a related control system.

System outline was developed in 1990 by the Krakow branch of the Institute of Physical Planning and municipal Management. The Krakow Regional Water Management Board drafted an agreement for the implementation of a leak control and water loss analysis systems in public water utility pipelines, that was signed, jointly with the Katowice Regional Water Management Board, with a number of the largest upper Vistula watershed public water utilities, in July 1992. The implementation of the system was made possible by the purchase of project equipment by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, and Forestry, financed by a World Bank loan.

The System is based an a truck mounted laboratory operated by the Regional Diagnostic Section of the Institute of Physical Planning and Municipal Management and an portable equipment leased by the Krakow Regional Water Management Board to public water and sewage utilities.

Under the Krakow Regional Water Management Board system implementation operations, the conditions of the use of key diagnostic equipment were determined based on field tests, a comparative analysis of public water systems was completed, diagnostic tests were run an select public utility pipeline systems, training materials were developed and seminars conducted for interested public water and sewer utilities.

The interest of public utilities in the issues of water loss grows systematically, as does the number of tests commissioned by the utilities from the Regional Diagnostic Section. This process is, however, taking place much more slowly than could be expected. One of the reasons is the relatively small share of the cost of water in water utility operating expenses, another, a specific disinclination to admit to water loss.

However, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for the public water utilities to convince local governments to agree to rate hikes without first performing detailed analyses of water use (including operating costs). About 18 percent of public utility water is lost in the Krakow Regional Water Management Board jurisdiction; approximately the same is true of the rest of the country. Some public water utility pipelines demonstrably lose up to 70 percent of all water entering the system. Therefore, cutting down on water loss may in some cases significantly improve local water supply balance. However, significant expense must first be incurred in order to overhaul old, breakdown prone, obsolete pipeline systems.

In 1993, the Krakow Regional Water Management Board, wanting to interest the largest possible numbers of water users and operators in water economy, approached all urban public water utility companies and a number of rural water utilities, as well as local governments, with a suggestion to take advantage of the engineering services and the experience of the Regional Diagnostic Section. Consequently, a study Water Management in the Towns and Cities of the Lesser Poland Vistula Basin was developed at the Krakow Regional Water Management Board in 1994. It provides a detailed description of the urban water management issues as well as indications of possible improvement measures. The study was disseminated among the mayors of all towns and cities in the Krakow Regional Water Management Board jurisdiction, as well as among county environmental protection inspectors and county governors (Voivods) throughout the Board's jurisdiction.

In April 1995, in conjunction with the completion on the implementation stage of the leak control and water loss analysis systems, a new cooperation agreement was signed. A number of new water utilities joined the agreement, some that had previously participated now withdrew. Scientific supervision is provided by the Regional Diagnostic section of the Institute of Physical Planning and Municipal Management.

The agreement stipulates that, in order to identify and cut down on water loss in public utility pipelines, individual utilities renting diagnostic equipment from the Krakow Regional Water Management Board will commission the Regional Diagnostic Section to perform between 1995 and 1997 specialized studies in the following areas: testing station water flow meters; testing supply pipelines and water mains for leaks; diagnosing water use and looses; locating water loss areas; locating leaks. Specific research commission tests are defined in the equipment lease contracts between the Krakow Regional water Management Board and individual water utilities. It was assumed that generally the scope of the research commissioned should be proportional to the value of the equipment leased. The utilities will continue to participate in the system seminars and training sessions organized by the Krakow Regional Water Management Board and the Regional Diagnostic Section of the Institute of Physical Planning and Municipal Management and to receive informative and training materials developed. So far, the water utilities from the following towns have Joined the agreement: Bedzin, Bielsko-Biala, Bytom, Jaslo, Kielce, Krakow, Nowy Targ, Pzremysl, Rzsezów, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnowskie Góry, Zabrze, Dabrowa Górnicza, Sosnowiec and Szczawnica. Other public utilities from the upper Vistula watershed may also participate upon signing the agreement.

The Krakow Regional Water Management Board is currently working to organize a cooperation agreement with rural public water utility companies in the areas requiring special protection of water resources.