The Polish Waters Flood Operational Centers in Wrocław and Kraków will be upgraded by installing new telecommunications links, which will enable efficient and fast communication between the hydraulic structures located in the basins of the Odra and Vistula Rivers. The contract signed by the State Water Holding Polish Waters Regional Water Management Authority with the Olsztyn-based company Sprint at the beginning of April 2021 is one of the stages of upgrading the flood protection systems that are implemented under the Odra-Vistula Flood Management Project #OVFMP.
This project activity involving the installation of new telecommunications links will cover the area of the Lower Odra and Vistula basins. Hydraulic structures important for the entire country’s flood protection, such as barrages, flood embankments, and storage reservoirs, are located in this area. The principal task of data transmission links will be to transmit telemetric data and image signals. Based on installed fiber optic links or radio links, the Internet access service will be launched. This service will combine all the relevant locations in one network, replacing the current Internet links. This will enable communication between all the Internet-enabled IT systems that are currently used and the designed DMR-based emergency communication system.
The purpose of this investment is primarily to increase flood safety, but also to apply technologies and solutions that will allow standardization and maintenance of continuity of the flood protection systems as well as their scalability and ease of further expansion in the future. In selecting the contractor, a key factor was also to use solutions that would optimize maintenance costs of the communications system in the future.
Under the contract, the supplier will:
- install and commission the equipment;
- provide software;
- conduct comprehensive training on the operation of the subsystems installed for Polish Waters staff.
The contract entitled “Operational Centers in Kraków and Wrocław – Telecommunication connections to hydrotechnical facilities” is financed by the World Bank under the Odra-Vistula Flood Management Project. The tender process was conducted following the international competitive bidding (ICB) method defined in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Procurement of Goods, Works and Non-Consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers, January 2011, Revised July 2014, and the tender was open to all eligible bidders, as defined in the World Bank’s Procurement Guidelines.
This contract valued at PLN 31 million is planned to be completed at the end of the 1st quarter of 2022.
