Local services
A press conference on the development of the Civaqua programme in Józsa was held by Mayor of Debrecen László Papp and Deputy Mayor of Debrecen Ákos Balázs, the municipal representative of the district, ecologist and member of the Green Working Group Csaba Aradi on 21st of September 2023.
“The Civaqua programme, as the most important surface water management programme in Debrecen and Hajdú-Bihar County, was for a very long time only a remote project, mostly outside or on the outskirts of the city, and somewhat elusive for the people of Debrecen. However, in recent months, more and more artefacts have appeared that have made the meaning of Civaqua tangible for the people of Debrecen,” László Papp said. He added that Civaqua will be a very significant step forward for Debrecen in terms of surface water management.
“In the Civaqua programme, Józsa plays a key role, as the Civaqua and Tócó streams will be connected in the northern part of the municipality and will reach the Tócó at the point of development, after which it will be supplied with water from the Tisza through a continuous main channel, the Eastern Main Canal,” the mayor said.
“Building on the first phase of the Civaqua, several points in the city will be able to accommodate the welfare development. Examples include this section of Debrecen-Józsa, the two-hectare lake area around the Vezér road reservoir, and the three-hectare park in Tócóvölgy, which will be created in the future, which will be able to provide welfare services within Debrecen thanks to the Civaqua development,” he said, adding that this part of Józsa will be a very complex, experiential environment, and a school will soon be built in the centre, thanks to the Roman Catholic Church.
“In addition to our wetland programmes, we continue our efforts to afforest and reforest.
16 thousand forestry saplings (oak, elm, ash) have been planted along the Tócó trail in the last period. These are to reinforce the indigenous tree population, registered as a so-called candidate species. The benefits of this will be felt in the coming decades, but I consider it a huge step forward that, in addition to the water management programme, our afforestation and reforestation programmes are also at an advanced stage,” the mayor stressed. He added that to provide this forested and significantly green part of Józsa with a richer water supply in terms of water management, a widening of the basin and some basin dredging will be carried out, which will result in a larger water area being monitored by the Tócó. He noted that the damming of the stream is necessary for afforestation, and the widening of the bed also serves the purpose of providing a habitat for various waterfowl.
“These works are now being carried out specifically with city and donor budget resources and are not funded by Civaqua. I am sure that, from an ecological point of view, both for the flora and fauna and for the people of Józsa and Debrecen who are staying here, it will be a much more enjoyable stay if we complete these programmes. We hope that the first phase of Civaqua will be completed by the end of the year and that it will be characterised by a raised water level in this area,” the mayor concluded.
Speaking about the population of Józsa, Ákos Balázs said that there are already more than 13,000 people living in the district, so it is very important to make improvements that will make life more comfortable and homelike for the people living there. He pointed out that, in addition to the school, a number of transport improvements are being made, and there is also a strong focus on the environment. The Civaqua programme will make a 50-year-old dream come true for the people of Debrecen, and the Tócó stream is particularly important in Józsa, where the area is in a state of deterioration and needs to be replenished, and the development will bring about the complete revitalisation of the area, the deputy mayor said. Ákos Balázs pointed out that the area has been renewed by refortifying 16,000 trees, and 131 small trees have been planted. The restoration of the stream bed to its original state has also been a long-standing dream, and we have already received the permit for it, which will allow us to create a 5,000 square metre water area in the centre of Józsa, he said. He added that this would significantly improve the quality of the air in Józsa and create a recreational area respectful of its natural values. He noted that, with biodiversity in mind, a 24-apartment swallow hotel and 30 bat houses will be installed, providing habitat not only for the nesting species but also for the natural enemies of mosquitoes.
According to Csaba Aradi, the most important benefit of the development is that the continuity of the water supply will allow the river to develop its natural aquatic habitat and the area to regenerate, as it is historically known that the Tócó was a watercourse rich in fish and wildlife.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
