4 Water Resources in Poland and Their Use
57
In the second half of the previous century, water use rapidly increased as a result
of the “planned” urbanisation and industrialisation of the country. In 1965, controlled
water intake was 7.6 km
3 , and from 1977 it regularly exceeded 14 km
3 ·year
−1 [24].
The occurrence of low flows at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, and the resulting
periodical water shortages and its heavy pollution, determined the directional transition to economic water management, as well as more effective sewage treatment. The
decrease in the amount of collected water, however, was to the greatest extent determined by the economic crisis and the related restructuring of the industry, and liberalisation of prices of water at the beginning of the 1990s. These factors caused considerable limiting of water use for different purposes and led to substantial changes
in the structure and amount of water use in Poland. The approach of society and
state administration to the resources of the natural environment and increase in the
standard of life of residents also changed.
The country’s economy is particularly supplied with surface waters that currently
satisfy the needs of approximately 83.6%. Groundwaters, together with waters from
drainage of mines, accounting for 16.5% [4]. In 2016, 70.81% of total water intake
was used for production purposes, 19.34% for municipal and irrigation purposes, and
9.85% for supplementation of water in fish ponds. Amounts of water intake and use
in different sectors of the national economy in three-time intervals were compared
in Table 4.6. Values from 1980 were adopted as the reference level.
Data concerning 1980 include information on the highest level of water use that in
the 1960s annually exceeded 14 km
3 , including groundwaters of approximately 2.0
km
3 . At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, the approach to water resources changed.
This was undoubtedly partially determined by changes in the economic system, as
well as the occurrence of a series of very dry years which caused serious problems in
the municipal economy, industry, and agriculture. At the end of the twentieth century,
the water needs of the country stabilised at the annual level of 11 km
3 . Over the last
decade, due to the introduction of new production technologies, the amount of water
intake for the purposes of the industry has slightly decreased. Water intake for the
purposes of agriculture and municipal economy has been maintained on a similar
level. Total annual water intake in the years 1980–2016 decreased from 14.2 km
3
to 10.6 km
3 . Moreover, the amount of water collected for the agricultural irrigation
purposes is dependent on the humidity of a given period. Over the last twenty years,
atmospheric alimentation was relatively high, which positively translated into the
resources of shallow groundwaters. Data of the Central Statistical Office [4] show
that the total water intake in the years 1980–2016 for agriculture and forestry for the
purpose of irrigations and for supplementation of water in fish ponds decreased from
1.323 to 1.043 km
3 . In the same period, the amount of groundwater intake for the
purposes of the economy decreased from 1.958 to 1.688 km
3 .
The use of groundwaters accounts for approximately 10% of their exploitable
resources. Nonetheless, areas exist, particularly in the vicinity of large cities, where
overdrying of the ground occurred, and therefore the possibilities of agricultural
land use decreased. Reserves of groundwaters usually exist in non-urbanised areas
not affected by human pressure.
57
In the second half of the previous century, water use rapidly increased as a result
of the “planned” urbanisation and industrialisation of the country. In 1965, controlled
water intake was 7.6 km
3 , and from 1977 it regularly exceeded 14 km
3 ·year
−1 [24].
The occurrence of low flows at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, and the resulting
periodical water shortages and its heavy pollution, determined the directional transition to economic water management, as well as more effective sewage treatment. The
decrease in the amount of collected water, however, was to the greatest extent determined by the economic crisis and the related restructuring of the industry, and liberalisation of prices of water at the beginning of the 1990s. These factors caused considerable limiting of water use for different purposes and led to substantial changes
in the structure and amount of water use in Poland. The approach of society and
state administration to the resources of the natural environment and increase in the
standard of life of residents also changed.
The country’s economy is particularly supplied with surface waters that currently
satisfy the needs of approximately 83.6%. Groundwaters, together with waters from
drainage of mines, accounting for 16.5% [4]. In 2016, 70.81% of total water intake
was used for production purposes, 19.34% for municipal and irrigation purposes, and
9.85% for supplementation of water in fish ponds. Amounts of water intake and use
in different sectors of the national economy in three-time intervals were compared
in Table 4.6. Values from 1980 were adopted as the reference level.
Data concerning 1980 include information on the highest level of water use that in
the 1960s annually exceeded 14 km
3 , including groundwaters of approximately 2.0
km
3 . At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, the approach to water resources changed.
This was undoubtedly partially determined by changes in the economic system, as
well as the occurrence of a series of very dry years which caused serious problems in
the municipal economy, industry, and agriculture. At the end of the twentieth century,
the water needs of the country stabilised at the annual level of 11 km
3 . Over the last
decade, due to the introduction of new production technologies, the amount of water
intake for the purposes of the industry has slightly decreased. Water intake for the
purposes of agriculture and municipal economy has been maintained on a similar
level. Total annual water intake in the years 1980–2016 decreased from 14.2 km
3
to 10.6 km
3 . Moreover, the amount of water collected for the agricultural irrigation
purposes is dependent on the humidity of a given period. Over the last twenty years,
atmospheric alimentation was relatively high, which positively translated into the
resources of shallow groundwaters. Data of the Central Statistical Office [4] show
that the total water intake in the years 1980–2016 for agriculture and forestry for the
purpose of irrigations and for supplementation of water in fish ponds decreased from
1.323 to 1.043 km
3 . In the same period, the amount of groundwater intake for the
purposes of the economy decreased from 1.958 to 1.688 km
3 .
The use of groundwaters accounts for approximately 10% of their exploitable
resources. Nonetheless, areas exist, particularly in the vicinity of large cities, where
overdrying of the ground occurred, and therefore the possibilities of agricultural
land use decreased. Reserves of groundwaters usually exist in non-urbanised areas
not affected by human pressure.