In the wastewater treatment plant in Sokolany, we did not exceed the permitted limit of pollutants even once last year. In the case of wastewater, the limits can be exceeded seven times a year up to 1.2 times the limit for the pollutant.   The wastewater treatment plant is primarily built to clean the parameters of chemical oxygen consumption, suspended solids, iron and oil. Most often, contamination could occur mainly during adverse events, repairs or other non-standard processes. The main toxic substances monitored include phenols, ammonia and cyanides, but there are many more controlled parameters.

"We have provided a preventive control management system for control, sampling and analysis. Operational discipline is also better. Thanks to high-quality monitoring, we can quickly intervene and take corrective measures, capture polluted water in an emergency tank. We monitor the samples more often to be sure and to have several times confirmed that the analysis is in order. If necessary, we also make cross-laboratory comparisons of analyses," says Miloš Fodor, General Manager for Environment (pictured).

They will get an accurate picture of reality

In the Sokolianský stream, barbel and crucian carp live, i.e. fish less demanding on water quality. Sturgeon is one of the first fish to return to the stream after a crash due to its unpretentiousness to the oxygen content of the water. Last week, experts from the University of Prešov started an ichthyological survey in the Sokoliansky stream. They will then repeat it in summer and autumn. We have the results of such surveys from 20 years ago, so we will be able to at least roughly compare the results: "Especially the spring and autumn surveys should provide a perfect picture of reality. In the summer, we want to test what happens when the heat comes and we would have to shut down the WWTP due to some problem. We want to see how the shutdown of the WWTP will affect life in the stream in the summer months."

The surroundings of the WWTP will be interesting even after the construction of the bird island. We wrote about it in another article: Less dust, counting trees and bird island - U. S. Steel Košice

They will also look into the waters of Bukovec

Ecologists also want to take a closer look at the waters of Bukovac this year. A few years ago, they planted  grass carp in these waters to destroy the overwhelmed aquatic plants, which they did.  Maybe it's time to put a predator in the waters of Bukovac so that grass carp is not unnecessarily overpopulated.

"I'm not saying that we will be at the forefront of biodiversity, it's a long-term process. But the small steps we take when we add something every year are meaningful and bring visible results and support our common idea of Responsible Steel," said Miloš Fodor.