Implementation of investments resulting from the National Plan for Municipal Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

Purpose of the study: The aim of the paper is to assess the degree of implementation of sewage investments in Poland, resulting from the National Plan for Municipal Wastewater Treatment. NPMWT defined the most important investments that were to bring sewage management to the standards resulting from the Urban Wastewater Directive within the deadline negotiated by Poland in the Accession Treaty.
 Methodology: The assessment of the implementation of the discussed investments was made on the basis of an analysis of the NPMWT, its last update from 2022 and data from the Central Statistical Office on the condition of sewage infrastructure in Poland. The analysis covered the years 2002-2022 and was of a comparative nature.
 Main findings: Despite many investments, Poland still does not comply with the EU law. At the end of 2020 in 675 agglomerations with Equivalent Number of Residents ≥ 2000 (44,3% agglomeration in total) the sewage infrastructure was insufficient or the existing collective sewage systems and sewage treatment plants still did not meet the requirements of the Directive. This does not apply to the entire agglomeration, but only means that the assumed indicators of sewage treatment or sewage system have not been achieved in them.
 Application of the study: The analysis contained in the article may be useful for central and local authorities responsible for investments in local infrastructure and students of faculties related to environmental protection and administration.
 Originality/Novelty of the study: The subject discussed in the paper concerns important, current issues related to the fulfilment by Poland of the European Union law concerning the standards of urban wastewater treatment. The analysis of the sewage infrastructure was carried out from the point of view of equipping agglomerations measured by the size of the ENR, as well as nationwide – on the basis of data from the Central Statistical Office.