Enhancing the public utility services of Ajka municipality using green-blue infrastructure elements
About this good practice
The GP is in the project preparatory phase and the implementation is expected to start in 2024 (2021-2027 financing period).
Flash floods are threatening the city centre of Ajka and overloading its sewage network. Heat waves and droughts pose increasingly serious problems to the residents. Grey infrastructure elements were deteriorating, and biodiversity was advancing in the cracks of the concrete embankment. The municipality lacked the financial resources for a renovation project.
After expert consultations with the Managing Authority of the EEEOP, the municipality agreed to redesign the preparatory project, considering international best practices, e.g. to widen the scope of the project upstream of the city, to apply sub-basin level approach;
to draft a concept for ecosystem-based restoration.
Following the eligibility check, the government granted priority status to the project with funding needed for preparation. Detailed assessments and permitting procedures should follow principles, e.g. ecology must be a priority for reaching restoration targets; sub-basin level approach; 2D dynamic flood modelling; public involvement; monitoring and aligning other development projects and infrastructures crossing the stream.
The public was involved through public forums and round table discussions, while the project was presented in multiple forums.
The MA incorporated all the knowledge gained into the planning of the 2021-27 period’s new Green Infrastructure Development call.
Resources needed
The GP is financed by the Environmental and Energy Efficiency Operational Programme.
The grant is 0.77 million EUR for the planning of public utility developments, of which 0.3 million EUR for the planning of the ecological restoration. 85% from EU Cohesion Fund, 15% from Hungarian State resources
Evidence of success
Important development policy elements like public involvement, monitoring and flood modelling were included. Project experiences were incorporated into the development of the EEEOP Plus ‘Green-blue infrastructure’ call and its guidance documents.
This GP generated professional debates (e.g. optimal blending of green and grey infrastructure, ecological and urban development objectives) improved the permitting procedure. The country's first beaver management plan has been prepared for the area.
Potential for learning or transfer
It is worth to prepare dedicated calls for GBI investments/NBS solutions and have the applicants compete. However, it's challenging to clearly determine selection criteria for competing projects whose main target is the improvement of the ecological status.
A practical approach is to determine the restoration potential of the site from an ecological point of view, then select measures having the most significant improvements on ecology and in addition does not hinder any further improvements on it later.
If ecological restoration does not yield sufficient results in other development objectives, solutions must be sought at the catchment level. When opening up the project scope to a sub-basin level, ecology must also be considered as a principle value.
We are not prepared for the return of historical species like beavers, to deal with the arising conflicts, nor to take advantage of the benefits of coworking with them. Simple measures (beaver management plan) can solve these problems.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.