Rural municipalities in Poland will have until June 15th to complete water and sewage projects funded by the National Recovery Plan (KPO), following a government decision.
Rural Municipalities Raised Concerns
Representatives of rural municipalities had been warning for months that meeting the May deadline for completing water and sewage infrastructure investments under the National Recovery Plan (KPO) would be difficult. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has now decided on a new deadline.
The decision concerns the deadline for projects financed from investment B3.1.1 of the KPO, which supports sustainable water and wastewater management in rural areas. Funding allows municipalities to build, expand, or modernize water supply or sewage systems in rural areas outside of urban centers.
Appeals for Extension
The Association of Rural Municipalities of Poland (ZGWRP) appealed for an extension of the deadline for water infrastructure investments as early as July 2025. They pointed out that as much as 60% of rural areas still lack adequate water and wastewater management systems. Simultaneously, municipalities must comply with new requirements related to EU directives on drinking water quality and wastewater treatment.
Less than a month ago, local government officials appealed to provincial marshals to extend the deadline for KPO B3.1.1 investments from May 15th to June 30th.
Justification for Delay
The ZGWRP argued that the original May 15, 2026 deadline was largely a technicality, as EU regulations only require projects to be settled by August 31st of the same year. They also highlighted exceptionally difficult weather conditions during the winter of 2025/2026, with prolonged low temperatures and frozen ground preventing earthworks, particularly for water and sewage infrastructure.
The association emphasized that these delays were objective and independent of the beneficiaries and contractors.
Ministry Support for Flexibility
The ZGWRP also noted that the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy had previously indicated a willingness to be flexible with investment schedules, provided the final deadline for expenditure eligibility – August 31, 2026 – was maintained. This approach confirmed the possibility of adjusting interim deadlines to reflect actual implementation conditions.
Decision to Extend Deadline
Ultimately, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MRiRW) decided to extend the deadline for completing sustainable water and wastewater management investments in rural areas under the KPO to June 15th. This decision was also influenced by the support of the provincial marshals for the municipalities’ request.
The MRiRW stated that this solution will allow final beneficiaries to complete investments in accordance with technical and quality requirements, avoid the risk of losing funds, and ensure the full achievement of the intended effects of the projects.
