Urban development is their specialty. What is one of the largest municipal enterprises in the Grodno region working on today?

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What is one of the largest municipal enterprises in the Grodno region working on today and how is it doing so?

The Shchuchin Regional Unitary Enterprise Housing and Utilities (RUE) employs 528 people. That sounds like a lot. On the other hand, the list of issues these specialists address is very long. The company provides a wide range of services to the public. It includes departments for heating boilers and heating networks, water supply, sewerage, and electrical systems, as well as an in-house chemical and bacteriological laboratory, a control and measuring instrumentation and automation service, metrology, and metering services. There are also departments for housing, transportation, public amenities, sanitation, and household services, as well as a repair and construction site.

Attention is focused on the heating season

The predecessor of the Shchuchinsky RUP Housing and Utilities—the communal department of the Shchuchinsky District Council executive committee—was established in 1944, immediately after the liberation of Belarus. Twenty-one years later, all of the district's housing and utilities enterprises were consolidated into a single enterprise, which, through further transformation, evolved into the current enterprise.

"The Shchuchin district is the second largest in the region after the Grodno district," explains DIRECTOR Yuri Gird. "For example, the distance from Shchuchin to the village of Petyulevtsy is 60 kilometers. Therefore, our company serves residents over a large area. In addition to Shchuchin, we also have sites in the urban settlements of Ostrino and Zheludok. The main consumers of our services are residents, and today the district has a population of approximately 32,000. They account for 82.3% of our solid waste management services, 82% of our water supply services, and 73.5% of our heat supply services."

On the day of our arrival in Shchuchin, the city began turning on the heating in residential areas. Yuri Yuzefovich notes:

Our main focus is the heating plant and heating network section, which includes eight central heating stations and 38 boiler plants, 31 of which are located in rural areas. The heating network extends 130 kilometers, including 52 kilometers in rural areas. We are currently operating all 38 boiler plants, and all have received heating season readiness certificates.

Three of them run on gas, eight on mixed fuels, and 27 on local fuels: wood chips, firewood, and pellets. The Shchuchinsky RUP ZhKH has its own timber trucks and wood chippers for transporting timber. There are no problems with this type of fuel; forestry enterprises supply it without interruption. The proximity of the Ostrovets Nuclear Power Plant also plays a role. This year, an apartment building in the village of Bolshoye Mozheikovo was converted to electric heating.

"People now have independent heating, and we, on our part, save on labor costs. The transition to electric heating will pay for itself fairly quickly. The experiment has been successful, so we plan to scale it up soon. However, there are currently no general plans to convert buildings to electric heating in the district," the source explains.

The state program was completed

The Shchuchinsky RUP Housing and Communal Services' water supply and sewerage system includes 68 artesian wells, 56 of which are located in rural areas. The district's water supply network extends 173 kilometers, with some pipes being replaced annually. Twenty-four iron removal stations have been built in the Shchuchin region, only two of which are in urban areas.

"The construction of the stations was outlined in the State Program 'Comfortable Housing and a Favorable Environment' for 2021-2025. We have fully implemented it. Today, all our consumers are 100% supplied with high-quality drinking water," emphasizes Yuri Gird.

Meanwhile, workers in the landscaping, sanitation, and consumer services department clean city streets, residential areas, and remove trash. The work is carried out using eleven garbage trucks, five tractors, and three sewage trucks. The Shchuchin RUP Housing and Communal Services Department also manages 196.2 kilometers of streets, of which 106.7 kilometers are located in rural areas, or nearly 132,500 meters.

 "During winter snowfalls, graders, street sweepers, and street-spreading equipment help us cope with the elements," Yuri Gird lists. "During the winter, we enter into contracts with agricultural organizations that help clear roads on-site. We have both groundskeepers and mowers on site. We always manage this ourselves; we never hire anyone."

We can’t help but praise Shchuchin – the town is small, but very beautiful, well-maintained and cozy.

“This is both our merit and that of the local authorities, who also ensure cleanliness and order,” agrees Yuri Gird.

It is part of the Shchuchin State Unitary Enterprise "Housing and Communal Services" and bathhouse services. It currently operates four bathhouses: in Shchuchin, the urban settlement of Ostrino, the urban settlement of Zheludok, and the agricultural settlement of Orlya.

"The bathhouses are quite popular among residents," explains the company's director. "Although a lot depends on their location. Some only had one or two visitors, so we closed them. Meanwhile, in the first half of 2025, we recorded 8,850 visits to the bathhouses. Compared to the same period last year, we're seeing an increase of almost 1.5%. 

The transport section, in turn, serves as a support unit and ensures the smooth operation of other units. It is equipped with automobiles, tractors, and equipment for lifting and excavation work.

"We have 103 pieces of equipment on our balance sheet," the interviewee explains. "We're focusing on Belarusian-made equipment when building our fleet. We lease it for eight years. Decree No. 146 of the President of Belarus dated April 2, 2015, is a great help. Without it, things would be much more complicated—paying such large sums up front is quite problematic. Most of the equipment we use is from MAZ and MTZ. We use the equipment ourselves and also lease it to the public: aerial work platforms, a crane, tractors, and six excavators. They can be used for any type of work: digging trenches, removing waste, and more."

Equipment rental is hourly, as is payment. Residents of the district apply to the housing and utilities department for this service. This service is especially popular in the summer, and sometimes there's a wait time. On the other hand, the rental market is extremely competitive. Here, the Shchuchinsk Regional Unitary Enterprise Housing and Utilities (RUE Housing and Utilities) excels in price; the state-owned enterprise offers slightly lower rates.

"We also operate a car wash that serves not only our own vehicles but also the general public," notes the company's director. "We have a staffed car wash, where the line is scheduled several days in advance, and a self-service car wash. We also offer tire fitting and repair services for cars, tractors, and agricultural machinery."

The results are visible immediately

"As for improvements, that's our primary goal," emphasizes Yuri Gird. "This year, we purchased five playgrounds. Four play structures were installed in courtyards, and one large one was installed near the lake. We also held a number of community cleanup days, with both our staff and residents participating. We posted notices online and in newspapers, asking residents to organize and attend. We, for our part, provided equipment, paint, and machinery, such as tractors and loaders. So, people helped us with their labor, and we helped everyone else. Residents, of course, respond differently; 50 people might show up in one courtyard, and 10 in another. But such events never go unnoticed. As a result, the courtyards are beautiful and tidy."

This year, the Shchuchin Regional Unitary Enterprise Housing and Communal Services also took on the task of tidying up the city park, which was laid out in the post-war years. They cut down old trees and are currently grinding stumps, paved the paths around the monument, planted arborvitaes, and installed lighting. Plans for next year include paving some of the paths with asphalt and updating the children's areas.

"We're constantly replacing paths," the interviewee notes. "We've completed work on Lenin Street, and we're currently working on Shkolnaya and Akademicheskaya Streets."

We arrive at a site on Yugo-Zapadnaya Street, next to the school. Infrastructure improvement work is in full swing there. An excavator is in use, construction workers are laying paving stones, and workers are tidying up the lawns.

"We completed the first phase of the project last year," explains Yuri Gird. "We're currently working on the second, which includes replacing paths and curbs, installing new curbs, new street lighting, and paving. We're also landscaping the courtyards. We've installed new benches and trash bins near the entrances. We've also created parking areas. We're doing all the work ourselves."

Our next stop is in the center of Shchuchin, by a man-made lake. Once upon a time, the area around it was a vacant lot overgrown with alder trees. Today, the picturesque shoreline boasts the town's only landscaped sandy beach. A beach soccer stadium is nearby. Its sports infrastructure is now capable of hosting even Belarusian championships. To build the sports facility on the lakeshore, a special area was cleared, the area was fenced, fine sifted sand was brought in, and gates and stands for fans were installed. The locals have come to appreciate the sports facility, which can be very crowded during championships.

"Our work is clearly visible through the 115 service, through which citizens' calls are received. If we do something poorly, the number of calls will increase. This will be immediately apparent—all the data is publicly accessible. You can't hide it," the interviewee asserts.

Yuri Gird notes that residents call 115 for more than just complaints and questions. Residents often reach out to thank housing and utilities workers. Residents also frequently write thanks in the "Complaints and Comments Book," including to bathhouse workers.

"You have to be a good listener," the company's director believes. "Sometimes they even come to us with issues we have nothing to do with. But if you listen to someone and tell them where to turn, they'll definitely appreciate it and be grateful."

Everything for employees

"We have our own dormitories and provide rental housing for young professionals," emphasizes Yuri Gird. "We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including both medical insurance and accident and injury insurance. Medical insurance covers visits to medical facilities not only in the district but also throughout the region. We offer benefits for major holidays and, in the fall, for vegetable purchases. For their part, the trade unions help with vouchers to HEALTH resorts and provide discounts on sports facilities."

All employees are fully equipped with summer and winter workwear and footwear. Those who work in difficult conditions, such as welders and workers on the sorting line, receive MILK . Employees of the Shchuchinsky RUP Housing and Utilities actively participate in the district Workers' Games, winning awards. Volleyball, football , tug-of-war, darts, tennis, and the "Dad, Mom, and Me – a Sporty Family" competition are particularly popular .

“In recent years, we have regularly won first place at regional hiking rallies,” the director notes.

To attract young specialists, the company's management regularly visits technical schools and universities.

"We're constantly submitting applications—some people come on their own, and others we're looking for. We even find new workers in the Vitebsk region," says Yuri Gird. "Sometimes someone has never heard of Shchuchin, but then they come here to work and stay. Shchuchin is a beautiful town."

The Shchuchin district is the second largest in the region after the Grodno district. For example, the distance from Shchuchin to the village of Petyulevtsy is 60 kilometers.

The district's water supply network extends 173 kilometers, with some pipes being replaced annually. Twenty-four iron removal stations have been built in the Shchuchin region, 22 of which are in rural areas.

Residents call 115 not only with complaints and questions, but also to thank employees of the Shchuchin Regional Unitary Enterprise Housing and Communal Services.

Alexey GORBUNOV, photo by Ramil NASIBULIN