2018

Poland has 87.3% of its generated load compliant to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).

In 2018, Poland counted 1553 agglomerations generating ≥2,000 p.e. each, of which:

• 1248 agglomerations, generating 33,557,771 p.e. of waste water, complied with the requirements of the Directive; and
• 305 agglomerations, generating 4,900,026 p.e. of waste water, did not comply with the requirements of the Directive.

The waste water load generated in Poland in 2018 was reported to be 38,457,797 p.e.

In 2018, Poland had not yet reached the target for collecting and treating waste water to fully comply with the Directive.

• 0.3 % of the waste water load must still be collected (approximately 123,800 p.e.); and
• 1.2% of the collected waste water load must still undergo secondary treatment in line with the requirements of the Directive (approximately 449,400 p.e.),
• 4% of the collected waste water load from agglomerations generating >10,000 p.e. and discharging into sensitive areas must still undergo more stringent treatment in line with the requirements of the Directive (approximately 1,313,400 p.e.).

5.2% of waste water load is addressed by means of individual or other appropriate systems (IAS) i.e. non-centralised sanitation systems (approximately 2,006,300 p.e.).

For the 1553 agglomerations, there are 1718 urban waste water treatment plants, with a total design capacity of 52,584,000 p.e., of which:

• 9 plants are active but not connected to collecting system,
• 1096 plants equipped with technology only for primary and secondary treatment,
• 613 plants equipped with technology for more stringent treatment than secondary.

Based on the 2018 data, it seems that the load generated is lower than the design capacity.

Compliance rate by Article

Notice : This table contains only agglomerations with expired deadlines.

*The total [No of agglomerations] includes only those agglomerations that must provide secondary treatment / or more stringent treatment than secondary before discharging waste water from their treatment plants.

**The total [p.e. waste water load] is the sum of the load of all of the agglomerations that must provide secondary treatment or more stringent treatment than secondary before discharging waste water from their treatment plants.

Data source for table: Register, summary of MS data

22 agglomerations were not taken into account in calculations of the compliance rate for Article 4 because the agglomerations use IAS for more than 98% of the collected load.

1007 agglomerations were not taken into account in the calculation of the compliance rate for Article 5 because these agglomerations generate ≤10,000 p.e. each.

Distance to target

*The target [p.e.] for secondary treatment represents the waste water load (collected and not collected) from all agglomerations that must be subject to secondary treatment, regardless of whether or not the agglomeration complies with Article 3.

** The target for more stringent treatment represents the waste water load (collected and not collected) from all agglomerations generating >10,000 p.e. and discharging into sensitive areas (regardless of whether or not the agglomeration complies with Article 3).

Data source for table: Register, summary of MS data

The expected annual investment costs per capita for installing and renewing waste water collecting systems and treatment plants is nan EUR/inhabitant/year.

The investment needs for ensuring adequate urban waste water collection and treatment, i.e. compliance with the Directive, as estimated by the national authorities and included in their national plan, are at the level of EUR 0 million for the period 2020-2020. This covers works on treatment plants, with the forecasted investment cost of EUR 0 million (2020-2020) , and works on collecting systems and/or IAS, with a forecasted investment cost of EUR 0 million (2020-2020).However, as indicated in a recent OECD study, Poland would need to increase their investments further to reach and maintain compliance. The OECD projected that the financing needs by 2030 (total cumulative additional expenditures for sanitation) is EUR 18.6 billion.

For the reference year 2018, Poland reported the production of 623,266 tonnes of sludge. The sludge is mainly disposed for others (41 %) and incineration (18 %) or re-used for soil and agriculture (38 %).

No information was reported on waste water reuse, storm water overflows by Poland.