The Dziedzice Water Treatment Plant (Strzeczki commune near Krapkowice in the Opole region) is a newly constructed facility implemented under the design-build formula. Proffico acted as a subcontractor for the water treatment technology and automation system.
According to the PFU requirements, the plant was to have a capacity of 50 m³/ha. The raw water quality, according to the attached analyses, was unremarkable (pH 7.8, iron 2.0 mg/l, manganese, and ammonium significantly below the standard, and alkalinity was not determined). The client required a classic single-stage pressure filtration system with a pressure aeration system. We designed and implemented it as required by the PFU. We found the water very easy to handle, and this put our guard down…
Problems arose already during the station's start-up.
Manganese, which was supposedly present in trace amounts in the raw water, suddenly exceeded the standards by as much as 10 times. The water's pH, originally estimated at 7.8, was actually 5.4. The water's overall hardness was out of compliance, and if that weren't enough, another unwanted metal appeared in the raw water.
We realized we had a problem.
Dr. Łukasz Weber, a true technologist, came to our aid. After discussions, we concluded that a water neutralization system would make sense in this case. We did just that. After installing the system, the station began operating correctly, and the results were achieved!
We are relieved 
We don't feel responsible for this entire situation, as we completed the project in accordance with the PFU, without any "shortcuts," "substituted" claims, etc., and based on the attached raw water analyses. However, because we understand that credibility takes years to build, we decided to resolve the issue at our own expense, without incurring any additional claims against the Client.
Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Łukasz Weber for his invaluable expertise and assistance. Kudos to Diana, Marcin, and Arek, who tackled this project as rookies and, despite being thrown straight into the deep end, pulled it off. Equally heartfelt thanks to the Client (UG Strzeleczki), the General Contractor (Zakład Usług Studziennych – Bernard Wójcik), and all our colleagues at Proffico for their friendly and effective cooperation.
