148
A. Krawiec and A. Sadurski
of these legal regulations, groundwater is considered to be therapeutic when it is
uncontaminated chemically or microbiologically, and it is characterised by natural
variability of physical and chemical properties. Additionally, healing mineral water
must meet at least one of the following criteria:
• total dissolved solids – at least 1000 mg/dm
3
• the contents of one or potentially more of the so-called specific components listed
below in the minimum concentration of at least:
– 10.0 mg Fe(II)/dm
3 (ferruginous water);
– 2.0 mg F
− /dm
3 (fluoride water);
– 1.0 mg I
− /dm
3 (iodide water);
– 1.0 mg S(II)/dm
3 (sulphide water);
– 70.0 mg H 2 SiO 3 /dm
3 (silica water);
– 74 Bq Rn/dm
3 (radon or radioactive water);
– 250–999 mg free CO 2 /dm
3 (carbonated water)
– >1000 mg free CO 2 /dm
3 (CO 2 -rich water, carbonated water); and
– the outlet temperature of water reach at least 20 °C (thermal water).
The earliest information concerning the use of mineral waters in Poland is
connected with salt extraction and production. This information comes from
Ciechocinek, Kołobrzeg (seventh century AC), as well as Rabka-Zdroj and Szczawa
(thirteenth century). In the first and second centuries AD the first wooden images of
carbonated water intakes in Szczawno-Zdrój were made and the first written record
included in the so-called Book of Henryków from 1221 mentions these healing waters
[13]. A significant event was carrying out the first research of healing waters in L˛ adekZdrój by Conrad of Berg as early as in 1498. His research confirmed the presence of
“sulphur, alum, salt, and copper.” This fact allows us to regard his research as one of
the earliest in Europe [14]. The majority of currently known healing water resources
were discovered in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Detailed specifications
concerning healing waters in Poland can be found in the studies of Paczy´ nski and
Płochniewski [15], Ci˛ e˙ zkowski et al. [13], Rajchel [16], Krawiec and Ci˛ e˙ zkowski
[17] as well as on the websites of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research
Institute (https://mineralne.pgi.gov.pl/) [18].
Poland can be divided into four provinces as far as the occurrence of mineral
and healing water is concerned [15]. These provinces include (see Fig. 8.3): the
Precambrian platform province, Palaeozoic platform province, Sudetes province,
and the Carpathian province. The Precambrian platform and the Palaeozoic platform
occupy the area of the Polish Lowlands, where healing waters have been identified
mainly in the sediments of the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic. The oldest health
resorts, which are located in the area of the Polish Lowlands, were created on the
basis of the occurrence of Cl-Na type brines from which salt has been produced for
over a millennium.
Province A – the Precambrian platform occupies the north-eastern area of
Poland. This province is the least abundant in mineral and thermal waters. Healing
waters are extracted mainly in Ustka (the Cl–Na type I; mineralisation 34.3 g/dm
3 ),
A. Krawiec and A. Sadurski
of these legal regulations, groundwater is considered to be therapeutic when it is
uncontaminated chemically or microbiologically, and it is characterised by natural
variability of physical and chemical properties. Additionally, healing mineral water
must meet at least one of the following criteria:
• total dissolved solids – at least 1000 mg/dm
3
• the contents of one or potentially more of the so-called specific components listed
below in the minimum concentration of at least:
– 10.0 mg Fe(II)/dm
3 (ferruginous water);
– 2.0 mg F
− /dm
3 (fluoride water);
– 1.0 mg I
− /dm
3 (iodide water);
– 1.0 mg S(II)/dm
3 (sulphide water);
– 70.0 mg H 2 SiO 3 /dm
3 (silica water);
– 74 Bq Rn/dm
3 (radon or radioactive water);
– 250–999 mg free CO 2 /dm
3 (carbonated water)
– >1000 mg free CO 2 /dm
3 (CO 2 -rich water, carbonated water); and
– the outlet temperature of water reach at least 20 °C (thermal water).
The earliest information concerning the use of mineral waters in Poland is
connected with salt extraction and production. This information comes from
Ciechocinek, Kołobrzeg (seventh century AC), as well as Rabka-Zdroj and Szczawa
(thirteenth century). In the first and second centuries AD the first wooden images of
carbonated water intakes in Szczawno-Zdrój were made and the first written record
included in the so-called Book of Henryków from 1221 mentions these healing waters
[13]. A significant event was carrying out the first research of healing waters in L˛ adekZdrój by Conrad of Berg as early as in 1498. His research confirmed the presence of
“sulphur, alum, salt, and copper.” This fact allows us to regard his research as one of
the earliest in Europe [14]. The majority of currently known healing water resources
were discovered in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Detailed specifications
concerning healing waters in Poland can be found in the studies of Paczy´ nski and
Płochniewski [15], Ci˛ e˙ zkowski et al. [13], Rajchel [16], Krawiec and Ci˛ e˙ zkowski
[17] as well as on the websites of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research
Institute (https://mineralne.pgi.gov.pl/) [18].
Poland can be divided into four provinces as far as the occurrence of mineral
and healing water is concerned [15]. These provinces include (see Fig. 8.3): the
Precambrian platform province, Palaeozoic platform province, Sudetes province,
and the Carpathian province. The Precambrian platform and the Palaeozoic platform
occupy the area of the Polish Lowlands, where healing waters have been identified
mainly in the sediments of the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic. The oldest health
resorts, which are located in the area of the Polish Lowlands, were created on the
basis of the occurrence of Cl-Na type brines from which salt has been produced for
over a millennium.
Province A – the Precambrian platform occupies the north-eastern area of
Poland. This province is the least abundant in mineral and thermal waters. Healing
waters are extracted mainly in Ustka (the Cl–Na type I; mineralisation 34.3 g/dm
3 ),