2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

POLAND PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
River water quality (biochemical criteria)
Class 1985 1990 1995 2000
1 4.8% 6.0% 2.9% 5%
2 30.3% 27.9% 20.3% 35%
3 27.8% 30.3% 33.8% 40%
4 37.1% 35.8% 43.0% 20%
Urban Services
% Water 94%
L per capita per day 124
% Sewerage 83%
% Sewage treated 79%
Development of urban water and sewerage infrastructure
Treatment level 1995 1998 2000 2002 2003
Tertiary 4% 13% 20% 27% 31%
Secondary 30% 30% 30% 27% 25%
Primary 8% 6% 3% 3% 3%
None 58% 51% 47% 43% 41%
Municipal effluent treatment and generation
Billion m 3 pa 1990 1995 1998 2001
Effluent generated 2.31 1.85 1.65 1.49
Effluent treated 1.39 1.25 1.31 N/A
In 1992, 48% of the largest industrial sites had no effluent treatment facilities. 17% of all industrial
discharges were untreated, with 66% of industrial effluents subject to primary treatment only, and 17%
to secondary treatment. 5% of factories had plants with an inadequate treatment capacity.
An urban/rural divide
2004 household connections ‘000 %
Overall – Water connections 32,640 85.4%
Overall – Sewerage connections 22,253 58.3%
Urban – Water connections 22,157 94.4%
Urban – Sewerage connections 19,714 84.0%
Rural – Water connections 10,484 71.3%
Rural – Sewerage connections 2,538 17.3%
Between 1990 and 1996, over 900,000 rural households were connected to water supply systems and
sewerage coverage grew from 5% in 1995 to 12% by 2000, with a similar improvement in the
proportion connected to wastewater treatment plants. Indeed, during 1992-00, 300 new wastewater
treatment works were built each year, one third being secondary or tertiary treatment works. The
Government aims to have 100% water supply and sewerage coverage by 2010. Approximately 25%
of effluent generation is from rural areas and its lack of treatment means that it has a disproportionate
impact.
Freshwater
Total (1998, km³) 49.4
Per capita (1998, m 3 ) 1,278
Withdrawals (1992, km³) 12.1
For domestic use (1987) 13%
For industry (1987) 76%
For agriculture (1987) 11%
159 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006