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Teka Kom. Ochr. Kszt. Środ. Przyr. – OL PAN, 2012, 9, 70–79
RIVER WATER POLLUTION IN AREAS
IN SOUTHERN POLAND
WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF ANTHROPOPRESSURE
Andrzej Jaguś*, Mariusz Rzętała**, Oimahmad Rahmonov**,
Martyna A. Rzętała**, Robert Machowski**
*Institute of Environmental Protection and Engineering, University of Bielsko-Biala
Willowa str. 2, 43-309 Bielsko-Biała, ajagus@ath.bielsko.pl
**Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia
Będzińska str. 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec
Summary. The paper presents the results of a study investigating the impacts of various kinds of
human activity on the quality of river water in southern Poland. The study concluded that unpol-
luted river waters were only found in semi-natural mountainous areas. In the mountain foreland the
quality of water was compromised by anthropogenic influences, including agriculture, urbanisa-
tion and industry. The waters were polluted with organic substances and nutrients, some of the
waters with salt and often with trace elements, including heavy metals. As a result the aquatic
environment over a large proportion of the study area was characterised by eutrophic conditions
and toxicological hazard. Indeed, anthropopressure was found to have a significant degrading
effect on the modest Polish water resources.
Key words: water resources, water quality, anthropopressure, river pollution, Poland
INTRODUCTION
Poland has very modest water resources in comparison with other European
countries. This assessment is best reflected by the volume of water available to
individuals and the economy, a measure determined by dividing the average
annual discharge from a country’s territory by its population. For Poland the
figure stands at approximately 1600 m3 per person in a very unfavourable com-
parison to 4500 m3 for Europe as a whole and 4000 m3 for the European Union
[Hotlos 2008]. The Polish statistic is a result of the country’s low average annual
precipitation of just 640 mm [Jankowski and Rzętała 2009]. However, precipita-
tion is highly concentrated in the mountains (800–2000 mm) along the country’s
southern and south-western border that represent just 9% of the country’s territory,
RIVER WATER POLLUTION IN AREAS IN SOUTHERN POLAND... 71
Fig. 1. Study area (Silesian Voivodship, southern Poland) with the data source cross-sections: 1A –
River Vistula headwaters, 1B – River Soła headwaters, 2A – River Drama, 2B – River Pszczynka,
3A – River Mała Panew, 3B – River Korzenica, 4A – River Rawa, 4B – River Nacyna, 5A – River
Bolina, 5B – River Stoła
but account for approximately 30% of the total water resources [Kostuch 1976].
For this reason it is particularly important to monitor and protect water quality in
this part of Poland to ensure that water resources are available in the lowlands
without costly treatment.
Andrzej Jaguś et al.
72
The paper presents the results of river waters quality in southern Poland.
The research objective was to assess the influence of residential and economic
activities on the quality of water in an area that has strategic importance for Pol-
ish water management. The Silesian Voivodship (region) was selected (Fig. 1)
for its large variety of anthropopressure types. The region, with an area of 12.3
thousand square kilometres, includes mountains of semi-natural character in the
south, agricultural areas and some of the most industrialised and urbanised areas
in Poland. In particular the study focused on investigating water pollution in
relation to particular types of anthropopressure.
Reports from various parts of the world demonstrate that anthropopressure
is the main contemporary driver of the physico-chemical properties of surface
waters [Bukit 1995, Kambole 2003] while the significance of the geochemical
background is confined virtually to the headwaters and unpopulated areas alone.
At the same time water pollution has been reaching levels that threaten ecosys-
tems and human health [Soldan 2003, Bhavana et al. 2009]. Studies on the qual-
ity of surface waters typically analyse the occurrence of certain chemicals and
regard all forms of anthropopressure as a collective source of pollution [Das-
senakis et al. 1998, Cheung et al. 2003, Huang et al. 2010]. There is less re-
search published on the environmental impact of specific types of anthropopres-
sure [Dimitrova et al. 1998, Milovanovic 2007, Strauch et al. 2009].
MATERIALS
The research was carried out in 2009. At the beginning, the usage of few
dozen basins, located in Silesian Voivodship were analysed. Topographic maps
(1:10000), aerial photographs as well as satellite images were used for the identi-
fication of basins area. Field mapping determining current type of land usage
was conducted for the results obtained verification. Cartographic data was sub-
jected to digitalization, including updating contents. Based on the results ob-
tained, generalized basins maps depicting its terrain usage were developed. Four
types of surface forming terrain were educed: 1) surface waters, 2) urban and
industrial land, 3) forest land, 4) agricultural land and unused green land. Carto-
graphic works and terrain analyses allowed to specify the type of anthropopres-
sure (e.g. agricultural, municipal, industrial) influencing the river waters quality.
Ten basins were selected for further investigation – 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A,
4B, 5A, 5B (Fig. 1).
Data on water quality was sourced from the national water monitoring sys-
tem and specifically from stations located at the confluence of these basins.
Physico-chemical properties were analysed on a monthly basis which produced
12 measurement records in 2009. The analysis involved 23 parameters: pH, SEC,
hardness, suspended matter, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, CODMn, N-NH4, N-NO3, Ntot,
Ptot, Ca, Mg, chlorides, sulphates, As, Ba, B, Crtot, Zn, Al, Cu, volatiles phenols. The
laboratory analysis methodology was compatible with Polish and ISO standards.
RIVER WATER POLLUTION IN AREAS IN SOUTHERN POLAND... 73
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Basins selected for study were grouped by the prevailing type of anthropo-
pressure influence (Fig. 2):
– 1A, 1B – semi-natural mountain conditions (forests, unmanaged green
land, little human activity);
– 2A, 2B – agricultural anthropopressure (agricultural land, small propor-
tion of rural development);
– 3A, 3B – rural municipal anthropopressure (forest and grassland with
a rural development);
– 4A, 4B – urban municipal anthropopressure (urban land);
– 5A, 5B – municipal and industrial anthropopressure (urban and industrial
land).
Fig. 2. River basin types broken down by types of anthropopressure: 1A – semi-natural mountain
conditions (River Vistula headwaters), 2A – agricultural anthropopressure (River Drama), 3A –
rural municipal anthropopressure (River Mała Panew), 4A – urban municipal anthropopressure
(River Rawa), 5A – municipal-industrial anthropopressure (River Bolina)
Legend: 1 – basin boundaries, 2 – surface waters, 3 – urban and industrial land, 4 – forest land, 5 – agricultural
land and unused green land
Andrzej Jaguś et al.
74
It was found that the type of residential and economic activity within the
river basin was a clear differentiator of the physico-chemical parameters of the
river waters (Tab. 1, Fig. 3).
Waters draining wooded mountainous headwater areas (basins 1A and 1B)
were not subject to major anthropogenic influences, as the area was mostly un-
populated and only forest management was involved. These waters were found
to be unpolluted with small quantities of organic matter (BOD5 peaked at
5.4 mg O2·dm-3) and nutrients (Ntot at ca. 1 mg·dm-3; Ptot at single hundredths of
a mg·dm-3) while enjoying good oxygen saturation levels (normally above
10 mg O2·dm-3). Trace elements were mostly at levels typical for natural waters
without toxicological hazard [Wilson 1976, Moore and Ramamoorthy 1984,
Dojlido 1995]. Only boron concentration (ca. 40 µg·dm-3) was higher than the
optimum for fish.
In agricultural areas (basins 2A and 2B) running waters contained large
quantities of minerals, which was reflected in their conductivity that ranged from
492 to 1779 µS·cm-1. Water chemistry stood out with high concentrations of
nitrogen compounds (from single milligrams to dozens of milligrams of Ntot·dm-3).
Average annual total nitrogen and nitrates(V) concentrations exceeded Polish
thresholds for eutrophic running waters [Ordinance... 2002], i.e. 5.0 mg Ntot·dm-3
and 2.2 mg N-NO3·dm-3. In the light of published research, the pollution of water
with nutrients and the presence of eutrophic waters must be regarded as virtually in-
herent in agriculturally managed basins [Sapek 1998]. In the basins studied agricul-
tural activity was the cause of large concentrations of chlorides (36–314 mg·dm-3) and
the presence of sulphates (69–216 mg·dm-3) above the geochemical background lev-
els. Excessive levels of boron and zinc were also detected.
River waters in basins with forest and grassland and rural development (ba-
sins 3A and 3B) were characterised by relatively favourable macro-ion composi-
tion, but there was evidence of pollution linked with untreated waste discharge
(only 28% of the rural population in the Silesian Voivodship were connected to
wastewater treatment systems). Considerable quantities of nitrogen and phos-
phorus compounds were observed in the waters (up to 5.07 mg Ntot·dm-3 and
0.43 mg Ptot·dm-3). Among the trace substances analysed there were considerable
quantities of barium (up to 130 μg·dm-3), boron (up to 110 μg·dm-3), zinc (up to
104 μg·dm-3) and aluminium (up to 520 μg·dm-3). These maximum concentra-
tions may be regarded as threatening to aquatic life and human health.
The impact of dense urban development and economic activity (basins 4A and
4B) on the quality of river water was expressed in both a high concentration of sus-
pended matter (in the order of dozens mg·dm-3 on average) and dissolved substances
(conductivity of thousands μS·cm-1). These waters were also often found to be alkaline
and because of high concentrations of divalent cations were typically either hard or
very hard (at hundreds mg CaCO3·dm-3). High concentrations of chlorides
(176–3540 mg·dm-3) and sulphates (137–571 mg·dm-3) were also found, as were nu-
trient concentrations (3.50–22.3 mg Ntot·dm-3; 0.23–2.15 mg Ptot·dm-3) and boron, the
levels of which (342–819 µg·dm-3) posed a threat to aquatic organisms [Dojlido 1995].
Table 1. Average annual values of physico-chemical parameters at selected basin cross-sections (based on data from WIOŚ in Katowice)
Basin cross-sections
Parameter Unit
1A 1B 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B
pH – 7.27 8.24 7.48 7.28 7.30 6.96 7.52 7.90 7.58 7.06
SEC µS·cm-1 76 242 688 1047 376 272 4692 3456 15500 849
Hardness mgCaCO3·dm-3 29 96 342 200 176 93 745 410 1672 267
Suspended matter mg·dm-3 5.7 6.4 13.9 12.5 4.1 8.1 47.5 38.4 80.7 37.0
Dissolved oxygen mgO2·dm-3 10.9 11.2 9.7 5.7 9.5 7.9 3.9 10.4 1.3 4.0
BOD5 mgO2·dm-3 2.4 1.8 2.0 3.9 1.6 3.9 13.7 6.0 50.5 16.9
CODMn mgO2·dm-3 – – 5.0 7.7 7.6 8.5 19.2 14.3 45.9 25.6
N-NH4 mg·dm-3 0.13 0.09 0.73 2.27 0.29 0.68 11.80 1.89 13.34 11.58
N-NO3 mg·dm-3 0.77 0.68 7.99 3.87 2.36 1.59 1.38 3.26 0.47 1.01
Ntot mg·dm-3 1.04 0.98 9.14 7.30 3.07 2.78 15.85 6.85 18.48 18.09
Ptot mg·dm-3 0.03 0.04 0.21 0.19 0.05 0.12 1.01 0.65 2.05 1.78
Ca mg·dm-3 – – 102 55 53 30 163 89 338 89
Mg mg·dm-3 – – 22 14 11 5 82 46 201 14
Chlorides mg·dm-3 4 12 43 169 18 18 1284 851 5504 99
Sulphates mg·dm-3 13 16 92 126 51 43 440 382 508 114
As µg·dm-3 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 6
Ba µg·dm-3 32 59 55 51 108 55 67 48 373 173
B µg·dm-3 40 40 63 40 73 40 648 553 1104 1270
Crtot µg·dm-3 2 2 5 2 5 2 2 3 2 5
Zn µg·dm-3 11 5 54 20 65 75 38 26 19 217
Al µg·dm-3 – – 128 33 268 151 35 21 67 188
Cu µg·dm-3 3 3 3 3 3 6 2 4 2 11
Volatile phenols µg·dm-3 0.6 1.0 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.5 3.8 3.4 45.3 0.5
1A – River Vistula headwaters, 1B – River Soła headwaters, 2A – River Drama, 2B – River Pszczynka, 3A – River Mała Panew, 3B – River Korzenica, 4A – River Rawa,
4B – River Nacyna, 5A – River Bolina, 5B – River Stoła
Andrzej Jaguś et al.
76
Municipal and industrial anthropopressure (basins 5A and 5B), involving
various wastewater streams discharged into rivers and surface runoff from pol-
luted surfaces, resulted in serious levels of water pollution (the maximum con-
ductivity was 26300 µS·cm-1). Nearly all parameters tested reached values corre-
sponding to deteriorated water quality. High nutrient contents and pollution by
toxic substances were accompanied by low oxygen concentrations (periodically
as little as tenths mg O2·dm-3). Very high concentrations of substances involved
in the manufacturing and processing activities carried out within the basins were
also characteristic of this aquatic environment exposed to municipal and indus-
trial anthropopressure. This was the case for example with zinc (maximum con-
centration of 350 μg·dm-3), volatile phenols (maximum concentration of
358 μg·dm-3) and boron (maximum concentration of 2000 μg·dm-3). Very high
concentrations of chlorides (thousands of mg·dm-3) found in the waters were the
result of the discharging of water from the drainage of colliery seams into sur-
face waters. Coal mining, an iconic industry in central parts of the Silesian Voi-
vodship, was responsible for introducing 118.5 million m3 of saline waters with
more than 1800 mg·dm-3 of chlorides and sulphates combined in 2009. Also the
large concentrations of zinc were the result of coal mining and zinc ore processing.
Fig. 3. Extreme values of selected physico-chemical parameters of water under various types of
anthropopressure (based on data from WIOŚ in Katowice): 1 – semi-natural mountain conditions,
2 – agricultural anthropopressure, 3 – rural municipal anthropopressure, 4 – urban municipal anthropo-
pressure, 5 – municipal-industrial anthropopressure
It appears from the data that every type of human activity constitutes a threat to
the quality of water resources. This is shown in comparisons of the water quality
parameters registered in semi-natural mountainous areas with the parameters
RIVER WATER POLLUTION IN AREAS IN SOUTHERN POLAND... 77
characteristic of developed foreland areas (Tab. 1, Fig. 3). Discharge of sewage
was found to be the most significant factor threatening the quality of the water
resources (In 2009, in the Silesian Voivodship discharged 370 million m3 of
sewage, of which 76% was treated but 24% was untreated). The adverse impact
of dispersed rural development on water quality was the smallest seen and with
good sewage treatment this impact could be virtually eliminated. Agricultural
activity, extensive urbanisation and industrialisation caused high water pollution.
However, while agriculture was mostly responsible for eutrophication of water
[Jaguś and Rzętała 2011], municipal and industrial activity produced a compre-
hensive degradation of water quality, including trace element pollution, as well
as eutrophication [Dimitrova et al. 1998, Cheung et al. 2003]. Most of the waters
studied were characterised by poor quality. In 2009, the National Inspectorate
for Environmental Protection found that out of 146 surface water bodies in the
voivodship, 116 (78%) suffered from eutrophication and many also suffered
from pollution by toxic industrial waste. In that year, the voivodship discharged
219.8 million m3 of industrial waste into the environment, 20% of which were
untreated waste and 54% of which were saline colliery waters mechanically
treated to remove suspended coal.
These results and discussion reveal the bad quality of the majority of river
waters in the study area, which causes concern in the context of the water re-
source deficit. This deficit has prompted the erection of numerous retention
dams and their reservoirs. Freshwater lake environments often have purification
effects on the incoming river waters, but the quality of water in many of the
artificial lakes remains equally as bad [Rzętała 2008]. All of this leads to a con-
clusion that there is an urgent need to protect water resources in southern Poland.
CONCLUSION
The quality of river water was extremely varied within the area of just 12.3
thousand km2 of the Silesian Voivodship. Unpolluted waters were found in the
mountainous southern part of the area. In the remaining part of the region the
pollution and its influence on the functioning of ecosystems depended on the
specific types of human impact involved. The impacts identified as the most
adverse for the quality of water included extensive urbanisation and municipal
and industrial development. The key to improving water quality in these circum-
stances would be to provide adequate wastewater treatment and treatment of
stormwater drainage discharge. Agricultural activity would require the applica-
tion of good farming practices, including respecting the provisions of the Euro-
pean Nitrates Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991
concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from
agricultural sources). The quality of waters of the Silesian Voivodship identified
in this study must be seen as an evidence of a failure to effectively protect the
region’s water resources.
Andrzej Jaguś et al.
78
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79
ZANIECZYSZCZENIE WÓD RZECZNYCH W POŁUDNIOWEJ POLSCE
W WARUNKACH ZRÓŻNICOWANEJ ANTROPOPRESJI
Streszczenie. Badania prowadzono w południowej Polsce, w obrębie województwa śląskiego.
Rozpoznano wpływ różnorodnej działalności człowieka na stan jakościowy wód rzecznych.
Stwierdzono, że jedynie w obszarach górskich o charakterze półnaturalnym wody nie wykazywały
zanieczyszczenia. Na terenach podgórskich ich jakość była pochodną wpływów antropogenicz-
nych – rolnictwa, urbanizacji, przemysłu. Wody były obciążane substancjami organicznymi
i biogennymi, nierzadko ulegały silnemu zasoleniu, a w wielu przypadkach zawierały nadmierne
ilości substancji śladowych, w tym metali ciężkich. W efekcie środowisko wodne znacznej części
obszaru badań cechowała eutrofizacja oraz zagrożenie toksykologiczne. Antropopresja okazała się
zatem czynnikiem znacząco degradującym ubogie zasoby wodne Polski.
Słowa kluczowe: zasoby wodne, jakość wód, antropopresja, zanieczyszczenie rzek, Polska
