Increasing numbers of municipalities without water. How to prepare for life during heatwaves?

The heatwave sweeping across Poland is posing a serious threat to the operation of water supply networks. Since last week, more and more municipalities have been urging residents to limit water consumption, and in some locations water supplies have already been temporarily suspended. Meteorologists warn that the situation could become even worse.

Empty taps in Lesser Poland and the Świętokrzyskie Province

Last Saturday, many households served by the Regional Water Supply and Sewage Company in Brzesko were left without water. Due to several times higher water consumption, pressure in the network dropped, while the local water treatment plant and intake were unable to cope with the demand. According to company representatives, the main cause of the crisis was the filling of private swimming pools and intensive watering of gardens and lawns.

Authorities in Nowy Wiśnicz also appealed for water conservation after high consumption caused a significant drop in network pressure. In response, a crisis management team was established and several-hour water supply interruptions were introduced. Residents were informed about the decision in advance. These measures are necessary to maintain the operation of the water supply system and ensure access to water for all consumers, the municipal authorities said on their Facebook profile.

On Monday, water supplies were also temporarily suspended in many municipalities across the Świętokrzyskie Province. The most difficult situation was reported in Daleszyce, Morawica, Górno, Bieliny, and Bodzentyn.

Water supplies depend on public responsibility

In the Silesian municipality of Panki, the water supply system had already reached the limits of its capacity last Thursday. Water consumption increased from 17 cubic metres per hour to 55 cubic metres per hour. Residents were prohibited from watering gardens and lawns, washing cars and driveways, and filling swimming pools and water tanks. It is not the weather that is overloading the system, but people.

The mayor of the municipality of Aleksandrów in the Łódź Province appealed for solidarity, arguing that every litre of water saved by not watering the lawn guarantees that a family living just a few houses away will be able to cook dinner or bathe their children after a scorching hot day.

Where appeals fail, penalties are expected to help. Authorities in the Świętokrzyskie Province announced that repeated cases of water theft from fire hydrants would be reported to law enforcement agencies.

Drought increases pressure on water resources

An additional problem is the falling water levels in rivers and aquifers caused by the prolonged lack of rainfall. This alarming trend was highlighted by Marek Wojtas, the mayor of the municipality of Pawłów, who urged residents to use water sparingly. At the Bronkowice water intake, the groundwater table has fallen by approximately 6 metres over the past twenty years. The capacity of the water intake in Szerzawy has declined from 65 cubic metres per hour in 1998 to 40 cubic metres per hour today, he wrote on Facebook.

Currently, low water levels have been recorded at 66 percent of Poland’s hydrological stations. Insufficient water in river channels means there is no recharge for underground aquifers and, in many cases, their levels actually decline due to seepage. In such conditions, shallow wells may dry up completely, while many water intakes will experience a significant reduction in available water.

Despite thunderstorms bringing heavy rainfall and rapid local rises in river water levels, the overall situation remains far from encouraging. According to the report for the last day of June, hydrological drought is currently being observed in 36 river catchments and their sections, from the Warta and Noteć rivers to the Upper Narew.

It is worth becoming familiar with the principles of responsible water use now to reduce the risk of taps running dry. According to forecasts by Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW-PIB), above-average temperatures are expected to persist across the country at least until September.