3 Administration of Water Resources Management: Key Facts …
29
The Minister of the Environment also held direct authority over the General
Inspector of Environmental Protection (GIO ´
S), the General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDO ´
S) and the Polish Geological Institute (PGI State Research
Institute). The GIO ´
S performs its tasks using 16 branches of Voivodship Inspectorates for Environmental Protection, which conduct State Environmental Monitoring
(including, among others, surface water quality) and supervision of entities using the
environment. In turn, the GDO ´
S supervises the tasks of 16 Regional Directors of
Environmental Protection, which implement tasks related to environmental policy in
the field of nature conservation management, supervision of the investment process
and provision of information about the environment in the area of the voivodship.
The President of the National Water Management Authority (KZGW – Krajowy
Zarz˛ ad Gospodarki Wodnej) performed ownership rights in relation to public waters
owned by the state, in relation to the waters essential for the development of water
resources and flood protection, particularly groundwater and surface inland waters.
The inland surface waters are in mountain streams and their sources, in natural
watercourses, from the sources to the mouth, with an average multi-year discharge
equal to or greater than 2.0 m
3
· s
−1 at the cross-estuary, lakes and artificial water
reservoirs through which referred streams flow, as well as in inland waterways and
border watercourses. Administering waters took into account the division of the
country into drainage basins and water regions.
In addition to the President of the KZGW, the unit responsible for water management was the provincial (voivodeship) marshal. As part of the government, this task
was performed by the voivodeship government in relation to the water essential for
regulating water relations for agriculture in order to improve the soil capacity and
facilitate its cultivation. Water management was carried out in line with the state
administrative division, within administrative units.
The main bodies responsible for water management at the regional level were
Provincial Drainage and Water Facilities, which were subject to the marshal of the
province. They performed tasks in the field of water management in agriculture and
flood protection. Therefore, they were subject to the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development.
The Ministry of Naval Management and Inland Navigation carried out the
activities related to the administration and operation of inland waterways.
In turn, the Ministry of the Interior was taking over some of the tasks in crisis
situations in the field of water management during, e.g., floods or droughts.
The authorities responsible for water management in the context of local government were a municipality leader called wójt (mayor or president) and the municipality
council as well as the governor and district council. Their tasks were mainly related
to water and sewage infrastructure (municipal council) and the issuance of water
supply consents.
The commune’s own tasks include issues related to water supply, sewerage, water
supply, and sewage disposal. Detailed legal regulation in this respect is the Act of
June 7, 2001, on collective water supply and collective sewage disposal. Collective
supply of inhabitants with drinking water is the commune’s own task – this results
from the content of art. 7 par. 3.1 point 3 of the Act of 8 March 1990 on municipal
29
The Minister of the Environment also held direct authority over the General
Inspector of Environmental Protection (GIO ´
S), the General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDO ´
S) and the Polish Geological Institute (PGI State Research
Institute). The GIO ´
S performs its tasks using 16 branches of Voivodship Inspectorates for Environmental Protection, which conduct State Environmental Monitoring
(including, among others, surface water quality) and supervision of entities using the
environment. In turn, the GDO ´
S supervises the tasks of 16 Regional Directors of
Environmental Protection, which implement tasks related to environmental policy in
the field of nature conservation management, supervision of the investment process
and provision of information about the environment in the area of the voivodship.
The President of the National Water Management Authority (KZGW – Krajowy
Zarz˛ ad Gospodarki Wodnej) performed ownership rights in relation to public waters
owned by the state, in relation to the waters essential for the development of water
resources and flood protection, particularly groundwater and surface inland waters.
The inland surface waters are in mountain streams and their sources, in natural
watercourses, from the sources to the mouth, with an average multi-year discharge
equal to or greater than 2.0 m
3
· s
−1 at the cross-estuary, lakes and artificial water
reservoirs through which referred streams flow, as well as in inland waterways and
border watercourses. Administering waters took into account the division of the
country into drainage basins and water regions.
In addition to the President of the KZGW, the unit responsible for water management was the provincial (voivodeship) marshal. As part of the government, this task
was performed by the voivodeship government in relation to the water essential for
regulating water relations for agriculture in order to improve the soil capacity and
facilitate its cultivation. Water management was carried out in line with the state
administrative division, within administrative units.
The main bodies responsible for water management at the regional level were
Provincial Drainage and Water Facilities, which were subject to the marshal of the
province. They performed tasks in the field of water management in agriculture and
flood protection. Therefore, they were subject to the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development.
The Ministry of Naval Management and Inland Navigation carried out the
activities related to the administration and operation of inland waterways.
In turn, the Ministry of the Interior was taking over some of the tasks in crisis
situations in the field of water management during, e.g., floods or droughts.
The authorities responsible for water management in the context of local government were a municipality leader called wójt (mayor or president) and the municipality
council as well as the governor and district council. Their tasks were mainly related
to water and sewage infrastructure (municipal council) and the issuance of water
supply consents.
The commune’s own tasks include issues related to water supply, sewerage, water
supply, and sewage disposal. Detailed legal regulation in this respect is the Act of
June 7, 2001, on collective water supply and collective sewage disposal. Collective
supply of inhabitants with drinking water is the commune’s own task – this results
from the content of art. 7 par. 3.1 point 3 of the Act of 8 March 1990 on municipal