I. Metshin: "The federal program is needed for the modernization of municipal infrastructure"

(KZN.RU, 16 August). Iskander Giniyatullin, the deputy head of the Kazan Executive Committee and the chairman of the Committee of the city utilities, reported on the improvement of the quality of municipal infrastructure systems at the IX session Kazan City Duma today. According to him, every year more than 100 million rubles, which budget did not provided, required to the current repair and maintenance of hydraulic structures. More than 4 billion rubles necessary for the repair and reconstruction of hydraulic structures in total, and without federal support it is impossible to solve the accumulated problems.

The Kazan complex of waterworks engineering protection includes 13 dams, 7 drainage pumping stations, canals and reservoirs for the collection and disposal storm water and groundwater. "Their current maintenance is not funded by budget, facilities are aging”, said I. Giniyatullin. "Waterworks have never been overhauled for over 50 years. Repair of the Admiralty dam, the dam “Dubki”, and the bottom dam on Boevaya Str. in the amount of 174 million rubles was held only in 2013. Performed works is the only 4% of the estimated need of repair”, he added.

According to him, other cities on the Volga River - Samara, Volgograd, and Ulyanovsk - do not have such problems, because the specialized federal control is responsible for the operation of artificial protection structures, and not the municipality. The chairman of the Housing Committee noted that the experience of other cities has been studied. "Hopefully, with the support of the Republic we will be able to eliminate this nonsense when the objects located on the banks of the river of federal significance are the responsibility of the municipal enterprise", said I. Giniyatullin.

Also the chairman of the relevant committee raised the issue of the sewer station “Zarechnaya”. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, noted this issue was raised several times and, finally, ways of solution have been found. "Construction of the sewage pumping station (SPS) will start this year. Construction of new collectors from the station to the treatment plant is necessary to fully address the issues beyond the river flow in the area. We need to make a decision by the cleaning plants and sludge fields also. Options being worked out, there is a lot of work in the future”, said the Mayor.

The chairman of the Housing Committee has called the need for disposal of dewatered sewage of sludge waters, accumulated over decades in the fields of the MUE "Vodokanal", among the acute problems. "First of all, Kazan needs a modern plant for the recycling of sewage sludge, produced about 250 tons daily, to stop the removal of silt to the fields. Different options are considering now”, he said.

"Elimination of unfinished repair, renovation and modernization of municipal infrastructure, particularly utilities, are carried out in an insufficient pace. Decision-making at the federal level on the example of the housing repairing program is needed to solve the accumulated problems”, said I. Giniyatullin.

"We need urgent action to repair the waterworks of the city”, I. Metshin agreed with the chairman of the relevant committee.

Ilsur Metshin noted the progressive development of housing and communal services. "We will continue integrated approach to the repair of housing, along with landscaping yards and current repairs of entrances", assured Ilsur Metshin.

The above issues are important for today, since they determine the comfort and life safety of citizens, marked the Mayor of Kazan. "The reform and development of housing and communal services for municipal authorities has been, is and will be a priority for all socio-economic transformation”, he said.