Poland

Overview: urban waste water production and its treatment

In , households and certain industries in generate million p.e. of waste water every day, which is an amount equivalent to around million bathtubs or million m³.

However, urban waste water needs to be treated before discharge, in order to avoid pollution to the environment. In , urban waste water is treated in plants across the country before it is discharged.

Figure 1
Number of treatment plants by type of treatment

Biological treatment with nitrogen and phosphorus removal

Biological treatment

Primary treatment

Map view 1
Plants by treatment type

Zoom in to check the treatment plant of your interest. Pop up window with detailed information opens when clicking on a point in the map

Figure 2
Amount of urban waste water which is required to be collected and treated according to the UWWTD

Amount of waste water in million p.e.

Total generated

Collection

Not Available

Biological treatment

Not Available

Biological treatment with removal

Sources: Waterbase - UWWTD: Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive – 2022 reported data. European Environment Agency (EEA)

What are the targets for urban waste water collection and treatment in ?

According to the UWWTD, is required to provide in urban areas:
- Collection of million p.e. of waste water

The amount of urban waste water that needs biological treatment is not available.

The amount of urban waste water that needs biological treatment with removal is not available.

Has met the targets for urban waste water collection and treatment?

Information on achievement of targets for urban waste water collection and treatment is not available.

Figure 3
Amount of urban waste water which still needs to be collected or treated according to the requirements of the UWWTD

Distance to target in million p.e.

Figure 4
Proportion of urban waste water that meets all requirements of the UWWTD (collection, biological treatment, biological treatment with nitrogen and/or phosphorus removal) in compliant urban areas

Compliance rate %

Map view 2
Urban areas compliance status

Not available

What progress has made in meeting its targets for urban waste water collection and treatment?

Figure 5
Recent trends in the amount of urban waste water which is not collected or treated according to the requirements of the UWWTD

Distance to target in million p.e.

How is waste water sludge managed in ?

generated tonnes of waste water sludge in :

% was reused in agriculture and other soil uses

% was landfilled

% was incinerated

% was disposed in another way

Figure 6
The proportion of waste water sludge from treatment plants reused or disposed

Percentage of total waste water sludge generated

Does reuse treated urban waste water?

Map view 3:
Discharge of treated waste water

Zoom in to see where plants discharge treated waste water. Green points show where the water is reused through discharge on land. Pop up window with detailed information opens when clicking on a point in the map.

Is there a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by the urban waste water treatment sector in ?

Figure 7
Trends in emission of greenhouse gases by the urban waste water treatment sector

Carbon dioxide emissions equivalent

In , emissions of greenhouse gases by the urban waste water treatment sector have decreased between 2010 and 2023.

How does protect its most sensitive waters from algal blooms?

Too much nitrogen or phosphorus in water can cause algal blooms. This may adversely affect fish, bathers and the wider environment.

designated of its territory as sensitive areas and decided that agglomerations over 10,000 p.e. discharging into sensitive areas must apply biological treatment with removal.

Map view 4
Sensitive areas

Zoom in to check the sensitive areas and if the treatment plant in the urban area of your interest discharges into a sensitive area. Pop up window with detailed information opens when clicking on a point in the map.

By implementing the Water Framework Directive, countries have assessed the quality of national waters, including surface water bodies (e.g. rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters) and groundwater bodies. In addition, they have identified the pressures that contribute to less than good water quality (i.e., poor chemical status or less than good ecological status for their surface water bodies, and poor chemical status for their groundwater bodies).

Figure 8
Percentage of different water body types having less than good water quality, and being affected significantly by discharges of urban waste water, discharges from unconnected dwellings and storm water overflows in the latest RBMPs

Percentage of surface water bodies or groundwater bodies area

Hover over the bars to see the number of surface water bodies and areas (Km²) of groundwaters affected by urban waste water.

Are waste water discharges a significant pressure for waters in ?

According to the 3rd River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) in :

Discharges of urban waste water contribute significantly to less than good water quality in:

% of river water bodies

% of lake water bodies

% of transitional water bodies

% of coastal water bodies

% of groundwater body area

Discharges of waste water from unconnected dwellings contribute significantly to less than good water quality in:

% of river water bodies

% of lake water bodies

% of transitional water bodies

% of coastal water bodies

% of groundwater body area

Discharges of storm water overflows are not reported as significant pressures.

% of river water bodies

% of lake water bodies

% of transitional water bodies

% of coastal water bodies

% of groundwater body area

Is there an increase in the number of monitored bathing water sites with excellent water quality in ?

It is noted that bathing water sites are not necessarily affected by direct discharges of urban waste water. Therefore, observed water quality problems can also be related to other activities.

The monitored bathing water sites with excellent water quality in have between 2010 ( sites) and 2023 ( sites).

More information

Some information on sewage treatment in Poland in 2022 is not available.

Poland applies Article 5(8) of the 1991 Directive and has designated its whole territory as one sensitive area. Therefore, the Member State does not have to designate individual sensitive areas.

Poland also applies Article 5(2-3). Consequently, all agglomerations >10,000 p.e. in the country and discharging into sensitive areas must comply with Article 5 (apply more stringent treatment than secondary, i.e. nitrogen and phosphorus removal).

Poland did not report their current investments (Figure 10).