Old Plzenec will expand the wastewater treatment plant, the city can grow

Old Plzenec (Plzeň Region) - Thanks to the largest investment in the modern history of the town, the five-thousand residents of Old Plzenec will be able to expand by thousands. A satellite of Plzeň, which has prepared three more development areas for housing, is experiencing enormous interest in housing. Today, it initiated a two-year construction project for sewerage, water supply, and primarily the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant for 300 million crowns. The town will cover nearly 112 million CZK and the remaining money will come from the EU, said Mayor Vlasta Doláková. The town has taken a loan of 70 million CZK from Česká spořitelna for 15 years.
"We will immediately begin modernization of the treatment plant, which will increase its capacity from the current 3,900 to 8,000 equivalent residents. At the same time, sewage will be constructed in Sedlec and at the beginning of next year, sewage construction will start in the area of Malá Strana," she stated. In Sedlec, an expansion of the water supply network is also planned. This will thus improve the living conditions for almost a thousand residents, who currently have to have their cesspools emptied. "Citizens can already start preparing projects and land decisions for connections. They will arrange the connections with the contractor during construction," said Deputy Mayor Václav Vajshajtl.
Dozens of families can prepare to build family homes in three planned residential zones. The most advanced area is located under the playground, where 32 plots are already being prepared for sale, over 50 houses are planned in the area between Bezručová and Štěnovická streets, and 30 houses are expected to rise above Štěnovická street. "We are a sought-after place for living, with all civic amenities. Public transport from Plzeň comes here, there is a school and kindergarten. The most desirable location is under the Radyně Castle," Doláková said. The town, with 4,900 residents, has increased its population by about 500 in the past ten years.
Besides the smaller capacity, the current treatment plant is unsuitable due to its elevated location, and therefore it cannot handle wastewater from the entire town area, including the development areas, Doláková noted.
"In the project, which is planned for completion in October 2014, in addition to the reconstruction and expansion of the treatment plant, 10.2 kilometers of gravity sewerage, 1,300 meters of pressure sewers, five pumping stations, and more than two kilometers of water supply lines will be constructed," said Miroslav Volf, the general director of the contracting company Čermák and Hrachovec a.s.
The town waited seven years for construction, completing the first phase of the treatment plant and sewerage. According to EU subsidy conditions, it first had to terminate the long-term contract with the previous operator, which was successfully achieved two years ago. The treatment plant and networks are managed by Vodárna Plzeň until December 2013; the town will announce a tender for a new manager next year.