During the 3rd Water Congress, it was impossible to avoid discussing one of the most delayed infrastructure projects in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region: the construction of an additional dam and hydropower structure at Siarzewo, near Aleksandrów Kujawski. The delays have resulted from disputes with environmental organizations, which, as the President of Polish Waters (Wody Polskie) emphasized, are currently being addressed in court.
The Siarzewo project remains an important topic of debate, as critical voices continue to emerge, raising questions about whether there will ultimately be sufficient political support to move the project forward. While the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship strongly supports the investment, opinions among government ministries have been more mixed. During the first day of the 3rd Water Congress, Member of Parliament Agnieszka Kłopotek raised the issue of Siarzewo during a panel discussion.
“The structure should be built, and as soon as possible. However, the reason is not flood protection,” responded Professor Artur Magnuszewski. “We carried out some interesting calculations to determine whether such a large reservoir could reduce flood risk. The Włocławek dam was not designed as a flood-control reservoir, and its impact on reducing flood potential is effectively zero. In any case, that is not its purpose. It was built primarily for energy generation and navigation.”
According to the scientist, the project is crucial from a safety perspective.
“The issue is, among other things, the safety of Włocławek. This should be treated as a priority. That is why I strongly support the project and keep my fingers crossed for its success.”
Od 2009 roku związany z lokalnymi mediami. Specjalizuje się w tematach dotyczących infrastruktury, polityki regionalnej oraz funkcjonowaniu samorządów.
