122
A. Solarczyk
6.1 Introduction
Poland’s surface water resources are extremely limited compared to those of most
European countries. Per capita, they amount to only approx. 1,600 m
3 /year, while
the European average is 4,560 m
3 /person/year [1]. Its water resources are distributed
very unevenly. In particular, the Kujawia region has a water deficit problem. Poland’s
problems with the amount of water resources are being aggravated by climate change.
It is estimated that resources have been decreasing at a rate of 10 m
3 /person/year
[2]. The fact that Poland’s water resources are very limited requires that care be
taken to protect their quality because it is quality that determines the use of water
for economic purposes. Knowing the quality of water on the macro scale makes
it possible to develop water management plans for protecting it against pollution.
On the micro-scale, it makes it possible to specify the use of water resources for
economic purposes in river and lake catchments.
6.2 The Anthropogenic Factor in River Pollution in Poland
The quality of water in rivers is shaped by natural conditions in the catchment,
and by the degree of anthropogenic pressure, which depends on how intensively
natural resources are used. Agriculture is the most significant source of pollution.
In Poland, agricultural-use areas occupy about 29.1 million ha, which is over 93%
of the country’s area. Catchments in central Poland have a high share of agricultural land. In terms of suitability for agricultural production, most of the areas
with the lowest production value are found in the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and
Pomorskie voivodeships [3]. Intensive agricultural management is carried out in
most of the catchments in the following voivodeships: Opolskie, Dolno´ sl˛ askie,
Wielkopolskie, Lubuskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Zachodnio-Pomorskie, Pomorskie,
and Warmi´ nsko-Mazurskie. The highest doses of mineral fertilisation with nitrogen,
phosphorus, and calcium compounds are used in farms in the Opolskie, Dolno´ sl˛ askie,
Wielkopolskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships. In the rest of Poland, the
agricultural economy is extensive. There, farms with an area of < 10 ha dominate.
A significant pollution load reaches the rivers from point sources. Changes to the
economy after 1989 resulted in a decrease in sewage output, while the share of treated
sewage increased. According to GUS [4] data, in total, 2,122,133,000 m
3 of sewage
was discharged into surface waters (6,800 m
3 /km
2 , 56 m
3 /inhabitant). Over 95% of
wastewater was subjected to mechanical, chemical, and biological cleaning processes
along with increased treatment of biogenic compounds. Over 51% of all wastewater
was treated in a tertiary treatment process. The largest municipal and industrial
point sources discharged sewage primarily to Poland’s main rivers. The exception is
wastewater discharged from Łód´ z to the Ner, from Lublin to the Bystrzyca, and from
Białystok to the Supra´ sl. The largest number of pollution point sources is found in
the Górny ´
Sl˛ ask conurbation.
A. Solarczyk
6.1 Introduction
Poland’s surface water resources are extremely limited compared to those of most
European countries. Per capita, they amount to only approx. 1,600 m
3 /year, while
the European average is 4,560 m
3 /person/year [1]. Its water resources are distributed
very unevenly. In particular, the Kujawia region has a water deficit problem. Poland’s
problems with the amount of water resources are being aggravated by climate change.
It is estimated that resources have been decreasing at a rate of 10 m
3 /person/year
[2]. The fact that Poland’s water resources are very limited requires that care be
taken to protect their quality because it is quality that determines the use of water
for economic purposes. Knowing the quality of water on the macro scale makes
it possible to develop water management plans for protecting it against pollution.
On the micro-scale, it makes it possible to specify the use of water resources for
economic purposes in river and lake catchments.
6.2 The Anthropogenic Factor in River Pollution in Poland
The quality of water in rivers is shaped by natural conditions in the catchment,
and by the degree of anthropogenic pressure, which depends on how intensively
natural resources are used. Agriculture is the most significant source of pollution.
In Poland, agricultural-use areas occupy about 29.1 million ha, which is over 93%
of the country’s area. Catchments in central Poland have a high share of agricultural land. In terms of suitability for agricultural production, most of the areas
with the lowest production value are found in the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and
Pomorskie voivodeships [3]. Intensive agricultural management is carried out in
most of the catchments in the following voivodeships: Opolskie, Dolno´ sl˛ askie,
Wielkopolskie, Lubuskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Zachodnio-Pomorskie, Pomorskie,
and Warmi´ nsko-Mazurskie. The highest doses of mineral fertilisation with nitrogen,
phosphorus, and calcium compounds are used in farms in the Opolskie, Dolno´ sl˛ askie,
Wielkopolskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships. In the rest of Poland, the
agricultural economy is extensive. There, farms with an area of < 10 ha dominate.
A significant pollution load reaches the rivers from point sources. Changes to the
economy after 1989 resulted in a decrease in sewage output, while the share of treated
sewage increased. According to GUS [4] data, in total, 2,122,133,000 m
3 of sewage
was discharged into surface waters (6,800 m
3 /km
2 , 56 m
3 /inhabitant). Over 95% of
wastewater was subjected to mechanical, chemical, and biological cleaning processes
along with increased treatment of biogenic compounds. Over 51% of all wastewater
was treated in a tertiary treatment process. The largest municipal and industrial
point sources discharged sewage primarily to Poland’s main rivers. The exception is
wastewater discharged from Łód´ z to the Ner, from Lublin to the Bystrzyca, and from
Białystok to the Supra´ sl. The largest number of pollution point sources is found in
the Górny ´
Sl˛ ask conurbation.