As you stand in front of the impressive building of the Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji (MPWiK), you are directly facing the heart of Warsaw’s water supply system. It was in 1924, after the merger of city departments that took care of water supply and sewage, that this institution formally came to life. Today, it’s the largest water and sewage company in Poland, supplying the city of Warsaw with clean water and managing its sewage system.
The building, designed by architect Romuald Miller, has been a symbol of Warsaw’s water system since 1930. It’s located on Starynkiewicza square, named after the city’s commissioner, Sokrates Starynkiewicz, a driving force behind building a proper water system for Warsaw in the 19th century.
Starynkiewicz commissioned a British engineer, William Lindley, to design a modern water system for the city. Even though the task was met with criticism and skepticism from the Warsaw citizens, Lindley’s project became a reality. The construction started in 1883, and in 1886, clean water from the Stacja Filtrów (“Filtration Station”) flowed through the city for the first time. You are standing right next to the heart of those initial projects, at the building that has guided and managed the supply of water for the city of Warsaw for over a century.
The MPWiK is the city’s lifeline. It ensures the smooth operation of a vast network of pipelines, pumping stations, and treatment plants. In addition to the initial Filtration Station, the MPWiK operates a variety of facilities. These include the “Gruba Kaśka” infiltration well in the Wisła River, the “Czajka” sewage treatment plant and the “Wieliszew” Northern Waterworks. The “Gruba Kaśka,” built in 1964, is a unique facility: a massive infiltration well built in the riverbed, and the largest known facility of its kind in Europe. It continues to provide the capital city with clean water from the Wisła.
But the MPWiK is not just about infrastructure. It’s also about the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the water flowing and the city clean. They are the heroes who ensure that the city of Warsaw has the lifeblood it needs to thrive. The building that surrounds you is a testament to their dedication and the city’s historical journey towards clean water. It is a place that embodies innovation and ingenuity. Today, it stands as a proud reminder of a city’s unwavering commitment to its citizens’ wellbeing and a future filled with clean, flowing water.