Water Management

Water permit

A water permit is a type of permit granted by the water administration through an administrative decision. Pursuant to the Act of 13 January 2022 amending the Act – Water Law and certain other acts (Journal of Laws 2022 item 258):

The water permit decision allows:

  • construction of water facilities, including wells, piers and ponds,
  • specific water use, including surface and groundwater abstraction and wastewater discharge,
  • other activities that may have an impact on water status and wastewater management, including: the discharge of industrial wastewater into sewers, the discharge of rainwater, the regulation of watercourses and water bodies, and the agricultural use of wastewater.

According to current legislation, water abstraction of up to 5m3 per day does not require a water permit. This amount corresponds to an irrigation of 5mm/day (equivalent to covering the evaporation of plants on a hot windy day) on an area of just 10 acres (0.1ha). If quantities in excess of 5m3 per day are used, it is necessary to ensure that a water rights survey is carried out and to apply for a water rights permit for water abstraction. This is usually carried out by a specialist company. The management report should consist of a graphic and a descriptive part. The descriptive part should include, among others:

  • identification of the applicant for a permit, indicating his details and address,
  • the purpose and scope of the intended water use,
  • type of measuring equipment,
  • the characteristics of the waters covered by the water permit,
  • the arrangements resulting from the conditions for using the waters of the water region,
  • determine the impact of the entity’s water management on surface water and groundwater,
  • information on the forms of nature conservation established or established under the Act of 16 April 2004 on Nature Conservation occurring within the range of influence of the intended water use or the water facilities to be implemented.

The graphic part of the report should include:

  • a plan of the water facilities and the extent of the impact of the intended water use or of the water facilities to be constructed, with the designation of the property including its area, plotted on a situational-elevation map of the area,
  • the principal longitudinal and transverse cross-sections of the water facilities and flowing water channels within the reach of the facilities,
  • layout diagram of measuring equipment.

The management report on the basis of which the water abstraction permit is issued should additionally include:

  • determination of maximum hourly and average daily water abstraction,
  • technical description of water abstraction facilities,
  • specifying the types of equipment for recording and measuring water abstraction,
  • defining the scope and frequency of required analyses of abstracted water.

With groundwater abstraction, it is worthwhile to plan – especially under the conditions of a farm with land in a small distribution – a water reservoir for water abstraction and storage during periods when irrigation is not necessary, which can additionally serve to collect rainwater.