Less and less amounts of harmful substances are released into the environment. There is a chance that subsequent investments carried out as part of the „MASTERPLAN for the Great Masurian Lakes” will be completed on time.
Since 2007 the sanitary infrastructure in the communes of the Great Masurian Lakes Region has improved significantly. Until the end of 2011, the length of the sanitary sewage network has increased twice (from approx. 360 km to nearly 750 km). Besides, more than 113 km of the sewage network has been installed. Nearly 11 thousand people use these networks. The communes have modernised three waste treatment plants and one water purification plant. As a consequence, less environment-harmful substances are released into the Great Masurian Lakes. The investments were subsidised in almost 75 percent within the programme called ”The MASTERPLAN for the Great Masurian Lakes”, financially supported by the European Union and covering the period 2007 - 2013. By the end of 2011, the communes have used nearly PLN 100 million. Six projects have been completed until now, the remaining eight are on-going. Considering the present progress of works and the already achieved results it is highly probable that the programme will be accomplished.
The auditors have reviewed 11 communes - all that undertake projects as part of the MASTERPLAN. In some of them they identified improper actions in conducting investments. 1 of 55 public procurements was awarded with a breach of law (Dźwierzuty). In three other cases the agreements were changed illegally (Ryn, Dźwierzuty, Wydminy). Five communes (Biała Piska, Pozedrze, Ruciane-Nida, Ryn, Dźwierzuty) accepted and paid for the improperly or untimely executed investments. In three cases contractual penalties were not charged (Ryn commune did not enforce the payment of nearly PLN 300 thousand, and in case of Świętajno it was almost PLN 140 thousand). The authorities of Ruciane-Nida commune showed extreme irresponsibility by paying nearly PLN 200 thousand for a useless sewage and waterworks project (afterwards it had to commission another project). As a consequence, the investment end date was delayed which poses a threat that the EU grant may be lost. In four communes (Piecki, Wydminy, Gołdap, Stare Juchy) the auditors detected some cases of infringing the construction law at different stages of the investment. For instance the construction works were started without a permit. In some cases the investment contractors did not have the documents required by the law, e.g. the construction project log book. The Supreme Audit Office has notified the prosecutor’s office and the construction supervision authorities of these situations.
