Program

Conference Agenda


As part of Stormwater Poland 2025, we have prepared for you:

4 extensive thematic sessions, divided into 2 days of the conference, two workshops, and a guided tour.



Tuesday, 25 March 2025

Registration
08:00 - 09:00
08:00
09:00
Speech and opening of the conference
Tomasz Grochowski - RetencjaPL
Jacek Jaśkowiak - Poznań City Hall
09:00 - 09:30
The 2024 Flood in the Context of Global Warming
Szymon P. Malinowski - University of Warsaw
09:30 - 10:00
The 2024 flood in Poland through the lens of numerical weather models
Mariusz Figurski - Gdańsk University of Technology
10:00 - 10:15
Challenges of modern water management in Spain
Miquel Rovira - ACO IBERIA & South America
10:15 - 10:45
Flood events and their management in Hungary
Márton Pesel - Water Management of Hungary
10:45 - 11:00
Conclusions regarding the damage to roads and bridges caused by the September 2024 floods in Poland.
Janusz Bohatkiewicz - Road and Bridge Research Institute
Marcin Świtała - Road and Bridge Research Institute
11:00 - 11:15
Effective Heavy Rainfall Management: Implementation and Benefits of a Flood Monitoring System
Tobias Menzel - OTT Hydromet
11:15 - 11:30
09:00
09:30
10:00
10:15
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30

Session 1

Why is adaptation necessary?

Session dedicated to analyzing the catastrophic impacts of the floods that affected Poland and other countries in 2024.

We will discuss their consequences in a European context, emphasizing the urgent need for the swift implementation of adaptive measures.

Coffee break
11:30 - 12:00
11:30
12:00
FEnIKS at the halfway point – market perspective. The road to success.
Jacek Zalewski - RetencjaPL
12:00 - 12:15
Why do we want to continue the stormwater project in Bydgoszcz?
Stanisław Drzewiecki - Municipal Waterworks and Sewerage in Bydgoszcz
12:15 - 12:30
BLUE BRIDGE - Innovative project for water circular economy in Płock
Małgorzata Hermanowska - Płock Waterworks
12:30 - 12:45
Preparation for the Implementation of a Stormwater Infrastructure Project – A Case Study from Grudziądz
Tomasz Pasikowski - Waterworks in Grudziądz
12:45 - 13:00
The investment process for stormwater and meltwater management in the downtown area of Koszalin
Włodzimierz Ogiejko - Wodociągi w Koszalinie
13:00 - 13:15
Case Study from Zielona Góra
Dariusz Gusta - Zielona Góra Water and Sewage Company
13:15 - 13:30
Support for Climate Change Adaptation in the 2021-2027 financial perspective
Anna Czyżewska - The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.
13:30 - 13:45
How to consider blue-green infrastructure for climate adaptation of cities – tools from applied research
Andreas Matzinger - Berlin Center of Competence for Water (KWB)
13:45 - 14:00
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
13:00
13:15
13:30
13:45
14:00

Session 2

How to promote and intensify adaptation?

In this session, we will present case studies from Polish cities that successfully utilized funds from the FENiKS program and hold a debate on the introduction of stormwater tariffs and their potential impact on accelerating adaptive actions.

Lunch
14:00 - 14:45
14:00
14:45
Stormwater tariffs - debate
Paweł Chudziński - Aquanet
Mateusz Faron - The Law Office of Zygmunt Jerzmanowski and Partners
Katarzyna Cybichowska - ckw.legal
Renata Tomusiak - Municipal Water and Sewerage Company in the Capital City of Warsaw S.A.
Piotr Ziętara - Waterworks Kraków
14:45 - 16:00
Building Climate Resilience in Cities – A National Perspective
Paweł Jaworski - Ministry of Climate and Environment
16:00 - 16:15
Small Retention in State Forests as a Component of the Country's Water Management
Katarzyna Gurowska - State Forests
16:15 - 16:30
The Impact of Stormwater on the Water Quality of Polish Rivers
Wojciech Falkowski - Ecol-Group
16:30 - 16:45
The 2024 flood in Poland
Mateusz Balcerowicz - Polish Waters National Water Management Authority
16:45 - 17:00
14:45
16:00
16:15
16:30
16:45
17:00

Session 2 cont.

How to promote and intensify adaptation?

The dinner will take place at Concordia Design Poznań; Zwierzyniecka 3; 60-813 Poznań
20:00 - 01:00
20:00
01:00

Registration

The 2024 Flood in the Context of Global Warming

The 2024 flood in Poland through the lens of numerical weather models

Climate change disrupts natural water cycles, altering precipitation patterns and causing alternating episodes of heavy rain, floods, and droughts. According to the European Environment Agency report, heavy rains in Northern and Central Europe have intensified since 1950 and are expected to become even more frequent. Between Friday, September 13, and Monday, September 16, 2024, a low-pressure system named Boris brought record rainfall to Central Europe, leading to severe flooding in parts of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, and Hungary. The flood caused widespread damage and disruptions, with costs estimated in billions of euros. A week before the event, numerical weather models signaled unusually heavy rainfall between September 13 and 16. This signal grew increasingly stronger and more extreme in the following days. The presentation will provide an analysis of the effectiveness of extreme rainfall forecasting in September 2024, using several numerical forecasting models employed in Poland (Gdańsk University of Technology and IMGW-PIB). The presentation will be complemented by a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of modern numerical weather models, as well as an outline of their development.

Challenges of modern water management in Spain

Key challenges of modern water management, such as water reuse, water purification and protection against the effects of floods. This topic takes on particular importance in the face of the recent floods that affected Spain, showing how important effective stormwater management systems are. Strategic approach to these challenges, emphasizing how advanced technologies can contribute to environmental protection and improving the quality of life.

Effective Heavy Rainfall Management: Implementation and Benefits of a Flood Monitoring System

Heavy rainfall events pose significant risks to urban and rural areas, leading to flooding and substantial damage to infrastructure and private property. This presentation explores innovative approaches to monitoring heavy rainfall events through a comprehensive flood monitoring system. The system aims to provide real-time data on critical parameters such as rainfall intensity, water levels, and soil moisture, enabling timely warnings and effective response measures. Key components of the monitoring system include various measurement devices like rain gauges, water level sensors, and soil moisture sensors, complemented by visual remote monitoring through cameras. The data collected is transmitted and managed through advanced data management systems, ensuring accessibility and usability for stakeholders. Additionally, the potential integration of predictive systems based on artificial intelligence will be briefly highlighted, offering a glimpse into the future direction of heavy rainfall monitoring and management. By leveraging modern technology and strategic planning, this monitoring system aims to enhance the resilience of communities against the adverse effects of heavy rainfall and floods, providing a blueprint for effective disaster risk management.

Coffee break

FEnIKS at the halfway point – market perspective. The road to success.

Since you are reading this text, you are likely active in the stormwater and climate change adaptation sector. Many participants in this market, with whom I have spoken, share similar feelings. Although we have been working with stormwater management and climate change adaptation for many years, we still feel that, regardless of how success is measured (by the number of orders, market size, volume of products sold, constructed rain gardens, efficiency of water law permits issued, or the number of “good practice catalogs” published), the true success is still ahead of us. We continue to hope that finally someone will seriously address climate change, project funding in this area, flood and drought protection. So, where do we stand in the middle of the next financial perspective? Has FEnIKS, the successor of POIŚ, become an opportunity for the development (not a “rebirth from the ashes” – the industry is developing rapidly) of the stormwater sector? Are we, therefore, approaching the realization of ambitious climate goals? Where do we stand, in relation to the mid-term climate target?

BLUE BRIDGE - Innovative project for water circular economy in Płock

The Blue Bridge project aims to protect water resources and involves the recovery of water from wastewater by treating municipal wastewater at the city's wastewater treatment plant operated by Płock Waterworks. The recovered water will be safely transported via a 4 km pipeline along the Vistula River to the water intake of the ORLEN S.A. Production Facility in Płock, where it will be used in technological processes within the Company. As a result of this project, Płock Waterworks will significantly reduce the amount of wastewater discharged into the Vistula River, and the Company will reduce its water intake from the Vistula by 25%. The project is in line with the European Union’s Sustainable Development and Circular Economy principles.

Preparation for the Implementation of a Stormwater Infrastructure Project – A Case Study from Grudziądz

The presentation will outline the key milestones in the process of preparing a stormwater infrastructure project for implementation, using the investment led by Miejskie Wodociągi i Oczyszczalnia sp. z o.o. in Grudziądz as a case study. It will cover the various stages of the process, from the transfer of assets to the company, through the development of a strategy for efficient stormwater management, task prioritization leading to the preparation of an investment program and application documentation, and securing funding from the FEnIKS Program.

The investment process for stormwater and meltwater management in the downtown area of Koszalin

Support for Climate Change Adaptation in the 2021-2027 financial perspective

The presentation will cover the actions of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW) in financing investment and non-investment projects related to climate change adaptation, both from EU funds (FENX, FEPW) and national sources.

How to consider blue-green infrastructure for climate adaptation of cities – tools from applied research

If we compare the local water balance of cities with a more natural setting, such as a park or a forest, we find that mainly the direct runoff is greatly increased at the expense of evaporation. These changes in the water balance can lead in turn to well-known urban water problems: surface water pollution and flooding during heavy rainfall events and heat island effects during dry spells in summer. In turn, those problems from urbanization are aggravated further due to climate change. One important line of countermeasures lies in stormwater management. A quantification of the many benefits showed that elements of blue and green infrastructure have a particularly high climate adaptation potential. In several research projects a number of tools were developed to support urban climate adaptation by means of stormwater management: · a simple and fast model approach to map the deviation from a natural water balance in urban areas (Del Punta et al. 2024). Using the model, hotspots for climate adaptation can be located and coarse stormwater strategies tested before detailed planning. · a complex model chain, including the urban surface, the sewer system as well as the receiving river, to simulate improvements in river water quality due to stormwater management (Riechel et al. 2020). This model approach is currently used to support the city of Berlin in establishing a long-term stormwater management plan for the existing city (Knoche et al. 2024). · a set of playing cards showing key benefits of > 25 stormwater measures (1 card per measure) as a traffic-light-system (red, yellow, green) (Winker et al. 2023). The cards were developed to support actual urban planning processes and have since been successfully applied by city and water authorities as well as engineering companies.

Lunch

Stormwater tariffs - debate

Paweł Chudziński

Aquanet

A graduate of the Poznań University of Technology, habilitated doctor of economic sciences from the University of Economics in Poznań. Scientific editor of monographs in the field of water utility management: “Water Utility Management. Conditions for Operation and Modern Management Concepts”; “Water Utility Management. Social Aspects of Operation and Efficiency Measurement”; and “Water Utility Management. Case Studies.” Author of the monograph “Business Architecture of an Enterprise.” Author and co-author of numerous scientific articles in the field of management sciences. Author of over 250 articles in industry press.
Since 1999, President of the Management Board of Aquanet S.A., Member of the University Council at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.

Mateusz Faron

The Law Office of Zygmunt Jerzmanowski and Partners

For over 10 years, a member of the water and sewage law practice at the Law Office of Legal Advisors Zygmunt Jerzmanowski and Partners. Responsible for providing both ongoing and ad hoc legal services to companies in the water and sewage sector.

Specializes in legal regulations concerning the water and sewage sector, particularly tariff-related issues, as well as environmental law and competition and consumer protection law.

Katarzyna Cybichowska

ckw.legal

Attorney-at-law with nearly thirty years of experience in providing legal services to private and public sector entities. Partner at the law firm ckw.legal.

Since the beginning of her career, she has been involved in the implementation of numerous flagship projects and investments in Poland. In recent years, she has focused on the legal support and coordination of infrastructure projects worth several hundred million euros.

She advises on the execution of innovative investments (with a particular focus on the water and wastewater sector), including those co-financed by European Funds and the European Investment Bank.

She graduated in law from the Faculty of Law and Administration at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and completed postgraduate studies at Poznań University of Technology on “Public Purpose Investment Implementation and FIDIC and World Bank Procedures.”

Renata Tomusiak

Municipal Water and Sewerage Company in the Capital City of Warsaw S.A.

The President of the Management Board of the Municipal Water and Sewage Company in the capital city of Warsaw S.A., Member of the Presidium of the Economic Chamber of Polish Waterworks, and Member of the Board of Aqua Publica Europea.
Since September 11, 2016, she has been serving as the President of the Management Board of MPWiK in the capital city of Warsaw S.A., the largest industry company in Poland providing water and sewage services in the metropolitan area. The company, co-managed by her, remains the largest beneficiary of EU funds in the sector of provided services and a leader in the field of modern water and sewage technologies.

Piotr Ziętara

Waterworks Kraków

the President of the Management Board of the Waterworks of the City of Krakow, who has been associated with this institution since 2001. His extensive experience encompasses various positions, starting from a specialist and progressing to his current role as the president. Piotr is a graduate of the Faculty of Management at the University of Economics in Krakow, and he holds numerous qualifications in management and information security. He collaborates not only with the waterworks sector but is also actively involved in academic life as the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Małopolski Water Cluster. His social commitment has been recognized with awards such as the Krakowski Dukat and honors like the St. Christopher’s Medal and the Silver Cross of Merit. Come and listen to the fascinating journey and experiences of Piotr Ziętara over the years.

Building Climate Resilience in Cities – A National Perspective

The presentation will focus on the activities of the Ministry of Climate and Environment in the area of climate change adaptation. It will cover new environmental protection legislation introducing urban adaptation plans aimed at enhancing the safety of city residents, improving the resilience of urban infrastructure to the adverse effects of extreme weather events, and mitigating urban heat islands. The presentation will be framed within the context of work on the National Adaptation Strategy, pilot regional adaptation plans, and funding instruments.

Small Retention in State Forests as a Component of the Country's Water Management

The Impact of Stormwater on the Water Quality of Polish Rivers

The issue of surface water pollution caused by stormwater runoff was only addressed in the early 1990s. The Regulation of the Minister of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, and Forestry of November 5, 1991, defined the permissible concentrations of substances—mainly petroleum derivatives and suspended solids—discharged into water bodies. Since then, numerous initiatives have been undertaken to improve stormwater management in cities, particularly larger ones. However, this does not mean we can rest on our laurels. Polish rivers are still polluted by surface runoff from many smaller towns, municipalities, agricultural areas, and industrial zones. A significant pollutant load is discharged through storm overflows—yet the law does not require monitoring of the discharged pollutant load; it only limits the number of overflow activations! Even worse, there is a lack of real-time data on the quality parameters of discharged wastewater and surface runoff, as well as their impact on surface waters. No wonder the condition of Polish rivers is disastrous. Simply saying, "Well, that's just how our rivers are," is not enough. In my presentation, I will showcase interesting stormwater management practices and propose actions aimed at achieving a sufficiently good water quality status for Polish rivers, in line with the EU Water Framework Directive.

The 2024 flood in Poland

Jednym z priorytetów statutowej działalności PGW Wody Polskie jest zapewnienie ochrony ludności i mienia przed powodzią. W roku 2024 w wyniku intensywnych opadów deszczu we wrześniu doszło do Powodzi, która swoim zasięgiem objęła południową Polskę, szczególnie Zlewnie w Dorzeczu Odry. PGW Wody Polskie podczas powodzi podejmowało działania, dążące do minimalizacji skutków wystąpienia ekstremalnych opadów deszczu. Działania PGW Wody polskie polegały na prowadzeniu gospodarki wodnej na zbiornikach przeciwpowodziowych oraz innych obiektów gospodarki wodnej. Dzięki koordynacji działania Zbiorników Kaskady Nyskiej oraz Zbiornika Racibórz wraz z Polderem Buków możliwa była redukcja wysokości wezbrania na Odrze i ochrona takich miast jak Opole, Kędzierzyn Koźle, Oława, Brzeg, i miasta Wrocławia. PGW Wody Polskie jeszcze we wrześniu 2024 r. przystąpiło do prowadzenia prac interwencyjnych oraz inwentaryzacji szkód powodziowych. W 2024 r. PGW Wody Polskie zrealizowały zadania na łączną kwotę 78,2 mln zł, planowana jest realizacja w 2025 r. dzięki uzyskanym zapewnieniem finansowania w roku 2024 na łączną kwotę 129,5 mln zł, a w latach 2025-2030 zadania przewidziane do realizacji na łączną kwotę 1 316,9 mln zł. Mając na uwadze poprawę bezpieczeństwa obszarów najbardziej dotkniętych powodzią w 2024 r. PGW Wody Polskie opracowują programy redukcji ryzyka powodziowego dla wybranych zlewni w tym dla Zlewni Nysy Kłodzkiej. Celem programu jest obniżenie ryzyka powodziowego poprzez zastosowanie kompleksowych działań w tym o charakterze inwestycyjnym tak by zwiększyć odporność regionów na występowanie zjawiska powodzi w przyszłości.

The dinner will take place at Concordia Design Poznań; Zwierzyniecka 3; 60-813 Poznań


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