10
K. Kubiak-Wójcicka et al.
has extended. Atmospheric precipitation is characterized by considerable variability
from year to year. Droughts or months with high rainfall are more and more frequent.
Lack of permanent snow cover changes the water cycle and affects the functioning
of the biosphere, including the cultivation of plants.
1.5 Water and Wastewater in Urban Areas
The next part consists of three chapters. The first of them is “Water And Wastewater
Management Condition in Poland”. The authors believe that progress in improving
the state of water and wastewater management has been visible in recent years. The
main reason for this is the implementation of the WFD regulations, which resulted
from Poland’s accession to the European Union on May 1, 2004. This gave the
opportunity to benefit from the EU funds, which in the first place constituted support
for the construction of water and sewerage infrastructure. The analysis shows that the
availability of water supply and sewerage infrastructure in Poland is not sufficient.
The disproportion between the length of the water supply system and the sewerage
system is particularly evident. Despite a significant improvement in the condition
of the infrastructure, which consisted in the increase in the length of the sewerage
network and the population served by sewage treatment plants, the process is slow
and does not completely solve the problems associated with sewage disposal.
Chapter “Water Problems in Urban Areas.” The chapter presents selected issues
of the water environment of Polish cities. Attention is drawn to the causes of periodic
excess of rainwater and surface runoff, with particular emphasis on sealed areas. The
influence of these areas on the shaping of dynamics and the size of flood waves, and
on flood risks as a consequence is demonstrated. The occurrence of floods of various
genesis is discussed. The importance of small streams in the geoecosystem of a city
with regard to their functioning and management is presented. The importance of
the human-water environment interaction with the maintenance of the sustainable
development of the city in terms of ensuring the safety of its inhabitants is referred to.
On the example of selected cities, a series of activities of an administrative, technical
and pro-ecological nature are presented.
The last chapter is “Multidimensional Aspect of the Water Resources Management in Metropolitan Areas.” This chapter discusses new challenges in the management of water resources in urban agglomerations. As urban agglomerations grow in
Poland, they face water resources management challenges. The increase in demand
for good quality water in highly urbanised areas, increasing threats connected with
the pollution of water and droughts or floods, has heightened the need for elaborating
a new model of integrated water management. In Poland, the multifacetedness and
interdisciplinarity of water resources management in a metropolitan area follows
from the priority of the water policy of the member states of the European Union
indicated in the Water Framework Directive. As a priority are considered actions,
which concern limiting the degradation of waters by attaining and maintaining the
proper state and potential of waters and the ecosystems connected therewith. The
K. Kubiak-Wójcicka et al.
has extended. Atmospheric precipitation is characterized by considerable variability
from year to year. Droughts or months with high rainfall are more and more frequent.
Lack of permanent snow cover changes the water cycle and affects the functioning
of the biosphere, including the cultivation of plants.
1.5 Water and Wastewater in Urban Areas
The next part consists of three chapters. The first of them is “Water And Wastewater
Management Condition in Poland”. The authors believe that progress in improving
the state of water and wastewater management has been visible in recent years. The
main reason for this is the implementation of the WFD regulations, which resulted
from Poland’s accession to the European Union on May 1, 2004. This gave the
opportunity to benefit from the EU funds, which in the first place constituted support
for the construction of water and sewerage infrastructure. The analysis shows that the
availability of water supply and sewerage infrastructure in Poland is not sufficient.
The disproportion between the length of the water supply system and the sewerage
system is particularly evident. Despite a significant improvement in the condition
of the infrastructure, which consisted in the increase in the length of the sewerage
network and the population served by sewage treatment plants, the process is slow
and does not completely solve the problems associated with sewage disposal.
Chapter “Water Problems in Urban Areas.” The chapter presents selected issues
of the water environment of Polish cities. Attention is drawn to the causes of periodic
excess of rainwater and surface runoff, with particular emphasis on sealed areas. The
influence of these areas on the shaping of dynamics and the size of flood waves, and
on flood risks as a consequence is demonstrated. The occurrence of floods of various
genesis is discussed. The importance of small streams in the geoecosystem of a city
with regard to their functioning and management is presented. The importance of
the human-water environment interaction with the maintenance of the sustainable
development of the city in terms of ensuring the safety of its inhabitants is referred to.
On the example of selected cities, a series of activities of an administrative, technical
and pro-ecological nature are presented.
The last chapter is “Multidimensional Aspect of the Water Resources Management in Metropolitan Areas.” This chapter discusses new challenges in the management of water resources in urban agglomerations. As urban agglomerations grow in
Poland, they face water resources management challenges. The increase in demand
for good quality water in highly urbanised areas, increasing threats connected with
the pollution of water and droughts or floods, has heightened the need for elaborating
a new model of integrated water management. In Poland, the multifacetedness and
interdisciplinarity of water resources management in a metropolitan area follows
from the priority of the water policy of the member states of the European Union
indicated in the Water Framework Directive. As a priority are considered actions,
which concern limiting the degradation of waters by attaining and maintaining the
proper state and potential of waters and the ecosystems connected therewith. The