The Polish government is planning the construction of three new desalination plants along the banks of the Odra River in western Poland. This initiative is part of a larger strategy to prevent a repeat of the 2022 ecological disaster that devastated the river’s fish population.
The total cost of the desalination plants is estimated to be around €1 billion. The plan, developed by the Polish Climate Ministry and State Assets Ministry, includes not only the construction of new facilities but also the renovation of an existing plant, according to the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita. The projects are expected to be rolled out over the next five years.
These desalination plants are considered critical due to the connection between high salinity levels in the river and the proliferation of golden algae, which is highly toxic to fish. The elevated salinity in the Odra River is largely attributed to mineral salts released by mining operations in the region. In 2022, a bloom of golden algae in the river, fueled by these salty conditions, resulted in the death of up to 250 tons of aquatic life as the algae depleted the oxygen in the water.
Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed discussions about involving state-owned companies, including mines, in the construction and funding of the desalination plants. He also noted that the government is exploring the possibility of securing financial support from the Fund for Just Transition and other European Union funds.
Several major Polish industrial players, including Polish Copper (KGHM), one of the world’s largest mining and smelting companies, and mining groups JSW and PGG, have permits to discharge effluent into the Odra River. The State Assets Ministry holds a controlling stake in these companies. However, experts have pointed out that much of the salinity is also coming from flooded, disused mines managed by the State Mining Assets Company. In response, Rzeczpospolita reported that KGHM will build its own desalination plant as part of the effort.
This cleanup initiative follows another alarming incident in August 2023, when 77 tons of fish died in one of the Odra’s tributaries near the town of Gliwice, reinforcing the urgency of the government’s action to restore the river’s ecosystem.