Panevėžys is one of 7 municipalities (Sweden, Poland and Finland) taking part in this pilot project and has the ambitions to arrange the city storm water system in a modern way.

The Mayor Rytis Račkauskas was satisfied that the guests met to discuss important environmental issues not only for Panevėžys but for the whole Baltic Sea Region.

"It is not a secret that rain sewage system is technically old fashioned, in cases of huge rainfalls certain territories are flooded and this is discomfort to the inhabitants. Besides, when rain water mixes with sewage water, all this goes to the River Nevėžis, thus, to the Baltic Sea as well. I am sure that in pulling the efforts together, using the knowledge of foreign experts, we shall manage to arrange storm water system in a proper way, to improve the quality of the inhabitants in a considerable way and to solve environmental problems",- said the Mayor Rytis Račkauskas in welcoming the guests.

Strategic partners taking part in the pilot project are as follows: the Boston Consulting Group, ramboll, "General Electrics", Swedish Environmental Research Institute(IVL), Stockholm Environmental Institute, Nordic Investment Bank, Scandinavian Investment group. The experts are paying visits to all 7 municipalities and get acquainted with the existing situation.

"The Group of Management of Environmental Projects, the one which is preparing the Investment Project of Panevėžys Storm Water Sewage System, the Directors of Limited Liability Company "Panevėžys Streets", Limited Liability Company "Aukštaitija Water"   and the staff of the municipality met the experts. The present situation has been discussed, the visions, aspirations have been presented, storm water sewage system has been investigated. I hope that the experts will see the aspirations of the city and Panevėžys will be one of the leading municipalities of the Accelerator Programme installing best practices. The challenge of Panevėžys City- the Project of Storm Water Sewage Renovation- was presented for the first time last year in December in Stockholm (Sweden)",- said the Deputy Director of Administration Ramūnas Vyžintas.

Accelerator Programme is supposed for the municipalities of Baltic Sea Region seeking to arrange water management systems in a way that the water quality of the Baltic Sea would improve. Innovative technologies and solutions are being searched for and for each case individual financial mechanism miay be proposed.