Prague wants to invest CZK 3.34 billion in pipeline reconstruction next year
The Prague Water Company (PVS), owned by the capital city, wants to invest 3.34 billion crowns, excluding VAT, in the renewal of the economic infrastructure in the capital next year. This follows from the first draft of the annual investment plan available to CTK. The proposal was supposed to be discussed today by the outgoing city council, but it was eventually withdrawn from the agenda, and it is not yet clear, in view of the post-election situation, when the city management will discuss it.
PVS leases the water supply network to Pražské vodovody a kanalizace (PVK), whose majority owner is Veolia and Praha is a minority owner. Most of the money for the repair comes from the rent from PVK. Next year, PVS expects the rent from PVK to be paid from water and sewage in the amount of 2.76 billion crowns, and it wants to get another 221 million crowns from subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the approved document, the deficit of about 361.2 million crowns takes into account the fact that some of the mentioned investments may not be made next year.
In addition, money from dividends, which PVS, as the representative of the capital, receives for its 49 percent share in PVK, also goes into the development of infrastructure. According to the recent statement of PVS director Pavel Válk, it amounts to 500 to 600 million crowns per year. The agreement is that after 2028, when Veolia’s infrastructure lease contract ends, PVS will also buy out the remaining 51 percent in PVK and will provide water distribution in the metropolis itself.
Next year, PVS wants to invest, for example, in the renewal of water mains in Řepy, in Vinohrady or in Veletržní Street in Prague 7, for which it has set aside 30 million crowns. Hundreds of millions are to go towards the continuation of the reconstruction of the Káraný water treatment plant, 119 million are to go to the flood protection of the sewage system in Karlín, which is already under construction. In total, the company listed around 250 investments in the overview.
The largest planned investment is the reconstruction of the old water line of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant on Císařský ostrov for around six billion crowns. PVS plans to issue a tender in January for the company that will carry out the work, but the work is still expected to start next year. At the same time, the city invested in the construction of a new line, which was put into trial operation in 2018 and put into operation in January this year.
ČTK, illustration photo (Central wastewater treatment plant) Our water – Nina Havlová
22.11.2022 15:39, Section: What we should know about water, Beverages and water in food, Water purity and recreation, Water and our wallet, Water pipes and sewers