In September, another two Grant Contracts of the regular projects within the ENVIRONMENT priority were signed – “Safe sewerage for healthy environment: cross-border solutions of Lutsk and Białystok” (acronym: SafeSewerage) implemented jointly by Municipal Utility Enterprise "Lutskvodokanal" and Wodociągi Białostockie Sp. z o.o (co-financing 2 366 830.21 EUR), and “Wild life in a big city: protection and promotion of wild nature and biodiversity in Lutsk and Rzeszów” (acronym: WildInCity), implemented by Executive Committee of Lutsk City Council and Municipality of Rzeszów (co-financing 1 200 308.41 EUR).
Both projects are the answers to environmental challenges faced by big cities such as pollution of groundwaters and rivers, degraded green areas and loss of biodiversity. Within the SafeSewerage project, the outdated sewage infrastructure in Lutsk and Białystok will be modernised and sewerage equipment for timely detection of problems and monitoring the sewage systems will be purchased.
The WildInCity project addresses the environmental challenges by improving two green areas located in Lutsk and Rzeszów. In Lutsk, creation of a nature park on the bank of the Styr River is planned by transforming an abandoned site into an attractive area, which will be used for educational purposes. In Rzeszów, many activities will be taken for protecting old oak trees and ensuring biodiversity in Lisia Góra nature reserve. The nature reserve will be adjusted to the needs of the residents for the purpose of environmental education.
Not everyone is aware that environmental issues are something directly related to threats. For instance, a collector pipe damage can leave 2/3 part of the city population without sewage services and without water. Polluted water and soil cause damage to health in the longer run. The same concerns increase of air pollution as a result of deterioration of green infrastructure – explains Anna Vintsiuk, Head of the International Cooperation and Projects Activities Department of Lutsk City Council, and one the projects authors.
Capacity building and awareness raising are important components of both projects. As the project teams want to reach different target groups, a wide range of activities is planned such as games, quizzes, green picnic and cross-border campaign “Sewerage is not a garbage bin”. Additionally, Ecospace will be created in Lutsk as a place to conduct various eco-events.
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