The company “Wodociągi Słupsk” has completed the implementation of the international partnership project entitled: “Protecting the Baltic Sea from untreated wastewater spills during floods in urban areas (NOAH)” under the INTERREG Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020 in accordance with the objectives, i.e., by December 31, 2021.
This project was implemented by 18 partners from 6 European countries. The three partners representing our country in the project were the company “Wodociągi Słupsk”, the Gdańsk University of Technology, and the “Wodociągi Polskie” Economic Chamber.
The main objective of the partnership project was, among others, the development and implementation of integrated action plans for the protection of the Baltic Sea and the waters flowing into it, as well as the execution of pilot investments aimed at preventing the discharge of nutrients and hazardous substances and supporting their removal.
For the NOAH project implemented by all partners, eight pilot areas were selected for testing and implementing control measures, monitoring tools, and planning methods in urban environments. Models of these areas were created to perform flood risk analyses. Based on the knowledge gathered during the modeling process, appropriate drainage control devices were installed to improve the monitoring and regulation of drainage systems. Furthermore, to enhance spatial planning, a new methodology for examining flood hazards in accordance with selected climate scenarios was established. A tool based on extreme weather events – the Extreme Weather Layer (EWL) – combines stormwater management with spatial planning.
In Słupsk, the study area encompassed the sewerage network operated by “Wodociągi Słupsk”, located in the most densely built-up terrain, where both a combined sewerage system and a separate sewerage system exist. Just before the main wastewater pumping station (which functions as the outflow in the pilot region), there is an overflow that, during significant precipitation events, can direct excess wastewater into the Słupia River. The pilot area is the main source of inflow to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), of which 30% consists of rainwater. The utilization of the EWL made it possible to identify the areas most at risk of localized flooding. The devices and materials purchased under the NOAH project enabled the efficient conduct of this type of undertaking. With EU support under the NOAH project, the purchases included 6 pieces of precipitation measuring devices (rain gauges) along with a system for automatic data archiving, remote transmission, and visualization in dedicated software, as well as 12 pieces of devices for measuring the filling level of main sewerage channels at 12 points within the city of Słupsk, along with a system for automatic data archiving, remote transmission, and visualization. Furthermore, laboratory equipment for wastewater quality testing, laboratory materials, including reagents, as well as IT hardware and equipment necessary for the proper implementation of the project and ensuring the sustainability of its outcomes, were purchased.
The implementation of NOAH actions and tools can reduce the inflow of pollutants from urban areas into the Baltic Sea by up to half. During the project, the EWL tool was tested and adapted to the urban planning procedures of the partner cities. The NOAH concept can be easily scaled to any urban area around the Baltic Sea, meaning it can become an element of activities in the daily practices of cities and waterworks utilities.