Water quality in Poland – state as of 2021

With the growth of cities and industry, more and more pollutants have started to find their way into Polish waters. What is more, the problem of poor water quality, due to ongoing climate change, will only get worse. The situation is exacerbated by leaking septic tanks, irrational fertilisation, growing tourism and, above all, the lack of a long-term vision for water management in Poland.

Water is the basis for the functioning of Poland’s ecosystems and the country’s entire economy. It is also a source of serious social concern. On one hand we fear prolonged periods of drought and serious water shortages, and on the other we fear violent phenomena such as storms or flooding.

According to the report “Water resources in Poland – protection and utilisation” commissioned by the “Przyjazny Kraj” (Friendly Country) Foundation, it is not the lack of water, or its availability, that is a problem in Poland but mainly its quality[1]. This is because we have at our disposal resources which are typical for our climatic zone, and the existing water shortages are rather of a local or temporary nature

What is the quality of water in Poland?

Water is contaminated when it contains an increased amount of chemicals, bacteria and micro-organisms which are not natural components (and simultaneously have a negative impact on water properties).

According to the report, poor condition of Polish waters concerns 91.5% of river resources, around 88% of lakes and nearly 100% of transitional and coastal surface waters. Waters are polluted primarily with benzo(a)pyrene, as well as with fertilising substances such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

Where are the greatest risks?

It turns out that it is no longer cities and industry that pose the biggest problem for Polish waters. The improvement in this area is the result of numerous investments in environmental infrastructure and major legal changes. As a result, over 95% of city dwellers currently benefit from sewage treatment plants.

Unfortunately, the situation is much worse in rural areas. Only just over 44% of rural residents treat their wastewater. It is not only fertilisers that are a problem here, but also leaking domestic septic tanks. In addition, progressive eutrophication, followed by the formation of oxygen deserts in which life is dying, is becoming an extremely serious threat. Agriculture is the sector which most seriously threatens the quality of Polish groundwater and surface waters.

Growing tourism is also a serious problem, affecting the development of coastal and lakeside areas. Holiday homes, recreation centres and private cottages are springing up like mushrooms, resulting in more and more municipal and industrial pollution.

What is eutrophication?

Eutrophication, or ‘water bloom’, refers to overfertilisation of aquatic environments caused by excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Dead algae sink to the bottom of the tank and decompose, which is accompanied by increased oxygen consumption. Anaerobic bacteria are formed as a result, and as they decompose they emit pollutants – harmful hydrogen sulphide.

Eutrophication is favoured by the regulation of rivers and the decline in their self-purification capacity. This phenomenon, however, mainly affects the still waters of the Baltic Sea and the Great Mazurian Lakes.

The dead zones constitute about 17% of the seabed area, while nearly 30% are oxygen-deficient zones. More than 50% of sea bathing sites are temporarily closed due to blue-green algae. These problems are exacerbated by increasingly severe climate change leading to rising water temperatures.

The effect of agriculture on the pollution of Polish waters

Agriculture in turn affects both the quantity and quality of water available in Poland. As much as 50% of nutrients flowing into the sea and lakes come from this sector of economy. The most important sources are fertilisers and pesticides as well as animal faeces.

Excessive use of fertilisers by farmers (inadequate for plant needs), as well as fertilisation at inappropriate times, result in the transmission of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds to surface waters.

Simultaneously, as forecasts show, agricultural production will continue to increase in the coming years, as a result of both population growth and increased meat consumption. It is therefore important to take action to protect the aquatic environment from the nitrates and phosphates present in manure and fertilisers.

Harmful effects of mining

Water relations in Poland are also strongly affected by the mining industry. Lignite opencast mines in Bełchatów, Konin and Turów have created huge depression funnels, which contribute to lowering the water table. As a result, local water shortages and even lake drying up phenomena are becoming more frequent.

How to improve water quality in Poland?

The recommended strategic direction is renaturalization, which may bring significant benefits in terms of quality and quantity. It is the best and at the same time simple and inexpensive way to improve the quality of surface waters in Poland. To a large extent it is implemented through… abandonment of negative activities carried out so far.

Education and investment in the development of infrastructure for the collection of pollutants is also extremely important. Systematic and extended monitoring of water conditions may also be a strong incentive to change social awareness and to take active protective measures.

[1] http://przyjaznykraj.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fundacja_Przyjazny_Kraj_Raport_Zasoby-wodne-w-Polsce_29062021.pdf