Scientific Journals Zeszyty Naukowe Maritime University of Szczecin Akademia Morska w Szczecinie 2011, 27(99) z. 1 pp. 40–46 2011, 27(99) z. 1 s. 40–46 Protection of surface waters in Lubuskie province in context of EU policies Ochrona wód powierzchniowych w lubuskiem w kontekście realizacji polityki UE Brygida Beata Cupiał University of Zielona Góra, Faculty of Economy and Management Institute of Environment and Public Economy Management Uniwersytet Zielonogórski, Wydział Ekonomii i Zarządzania Katedra Zarządzania Środowiskiem i Gospodarką Publiczną 65-246 Zielona Góra, ul. Podgórna 50, e-mail: [email protected] Key words: integrated water management, investment, sustainable development Abstract In this article author – based on literature, documents and statistical data - attempted to analyze the problem of protection surface waters in Lubuskie in the context of the implementation of European Union policy. A review of concepts relating to the EU Water Framework Directive and integrated water management was made. Investment activities in the field of water and wastewater were compared with environmental data in order to obtain a synthetic evaluation of the scale of the province. In summary applied conclusions. Słowa kluczowe: zintegrowane zarządzania wodami, inwestycje, rozwój zrównoważony Abstrakt W opracowaniu podjęto – na podstawie literatury, dokumentów oraz danych statystycznych – próbę analizy problemu ochrony wód powierzchniowych w województwie lubuskim w kontekście realizacji polityki Unii Europejskiej. Dokonano przeglądu pojęć dotyczących Ramowej Dyrektywy Wodnej UE i zintegrowanego za- rządzania wodami. Działania inwestycyjne w zakresie gospodarki wodno-ściekowej porównano z danymi środowiskowymi w celu uzyskania syntetycznej oceny w skali omawianego województwa. W podsumowaniu opracowania zawarto wnioski. Introduction this range for the government is to being able to use the resources of European Union (EU). One of the The realization of the sustainable development investment directions in environmental protection is principles are a constitutional order in Poland [1]. to protect the surface waters. In 1975, the European One of the main pillars of this policy is to care Community has implemented the 20 directives de- of the environment. The real challenge for devel- signed to restore the proper water quality in the oped countries is to reconcile pro ecology with Member States. The basic legal document, describ- initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of the ing the principles of water management and water economy. One of the most important element of protection – the European Parliament and the this process is the development of infrastructure Council are establishing a framework for Commu- around environmental that helps to reconcile the nity action in the field of water policy, is known as aspirations of development with the attention to the the Water Framework Directive (WFD) [2]. WFD ecosystem. Investments which support this process, was implemented on 22nd December 2000. The however, are generally expensive and Polish gov- principal message of the WFD is to protect water ernments without adequate support are not able to resources for future generations. The common Eu- cope with bearing the financial burden. True help in ropean water policy aims to ensure people to have 40 Scientific Journals 27(99) z. 1 Protection of surface waters in Lubuskie province in context of EU policies access to clean drinking water at a price which water status in each river basin and the manage- takes into account the reimbursement of services, ment, protection, conservation of water resources with simultaneous economic and social develop- implemented in the areas of hydrographic borders. ment and respecting the needs of the environment. The Water Framework is part of the regulation system for water conservation. It consists of: so- Water policy and integrated management called Directive “daughter”. Directive on water of water resources in the EU intended for swimming 76/160/EEC, Directive on drinking water 80/778/EEC changed 98/83/EC, Integrated management of water resources is Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and a method to organize the management processes of Control (IPPC), Directive 96/61/EC, Directive on that sphere of environmental performance, increase Urban Waste Water Treatment 91/271/EEC, Direc- its efficiency – also in terms of economic efficiency tive 86/278/EEC on sewage sludge, Directive and innovation by improving communication and 91/676/EEC on nitrates. Complementary directives exchange of achievements in science and practice are: Directive 79/409/EEC on the birds, the Direc- in a multidisciplinary section. Worrying signs that tive on major disasters (Seveso) 96/82/EC, Direc- indicate the need for decisive action in this area are tive on Environmental Impact Assessment, 85/337/ inconsistent economic instruments, the threat of EEC, Directive on plant protection products 91/ flooding, the aggravating state of the waters, ope- 414/EEC, Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. rating various types of water management, even in The legal system and accompanying them national terms, there is no uniform monitoring of actions form the so-called: Water Policy of the waters and their classification, and it gives us in European Union. It consists: action to implement effect the lack of a coherent data base. the WFD-transposition of legislation, economic By introducing the integrated management of instruments, control and enforcement, education water quality Water Framework Directive estab- and social dialogue. EU water policy aims to lishes dependencies and eliminates many inconsis- programming actions in four main areas: hydro- tencies between the different directives on the pro- morphological changes (small retention programs, tection of water quality in the Member States of the flood protection), agriculture (implementation of European Union. Good status for all waters by 2015 good agricultural practices), industry (the rationali- is achievable through: preventing further deteriora- zation of water), municipal services (collection and tion of aquatic ecosystems and protecting and wastewater treatment, development of waterworks). improving the status of these ecosystems, meeting Already mentioned environmental objectives the water demand of population, agriculture and contain a diagnosis of the environmental elements industry, promoting the sustainable use of water (among others: typology and reference conditions (based on long-term protection of available water and classification systems of water) and moni- resources), the implementation of projects aimed at toring, management plans, action programs, the gradual reduction of emissions, discharges and economic instruments (economic analysis and losses of priority dangerous substances, ensuring reimbursement of costs of water services for the a gradual reduction of pollution of groundwater, sustainable use of water, oriented not on the reducing the effects of floods and droughts. Envi- decision making process), public participation and ronmental objectives are to protect all surface water inter-regional and international policy (areas of and groundwater through: integrated water man- cooperation and forms of cooperation). Areas of agement based on river basins, control of emissions cooperation include: international river basins, and water quality standards and the gradual elimi- coordination, research work, new technologies, nation of dangerous substances, economic analysis intercalibration. Among the forms of cooperation in and reimbursement of costs of water services for this range, stand out: the committees, twinning, the sustainable use of water, involvement the com- pilotage programs, workshops and other activities. munity and water users in the process of water Poland as a member of the group actively parti- management. cipates in the EU water policy thanks to implement- The integrated management of water quality ob- ing WFD (transposition of the Water Law of 18th jectives are achievable with an integral approach to July 2001 (Journal of Laws of 2011, No. 32, Pos.) surface water and groundwater, basins-approach, and the Environmental Protection Law of 27th April and socialization process of decision making and 2001 (Journal of Laws of 2008 No. 25, item 150), consideration of environmental aspects. Assump- but it’s needed to be stressed that the practical ac- tions of WFD foster the implementation of relevant tions in this regard are supported in the form of programs and action to improve or maintain good help aid, which are used widely to improve the Zeszyty Naukowe 27(99) z. 1 41 Brygida Beata Cupiał quality of life in society which is the aim of idea of Czech two rivers flow into Odra, while from the implementation the sustainable development [3, 4]. Polish territory 43 tributaries of varying sizes. War- ta as the only river in the Odra basin is classified as Lubuskie as a part of the Odra’s river basin a medium size river. Overall in the Lubuskie prov- ince are 418 rivers, canals and other watercourses The whole area of the Lubuskie Province lies in of a significant size, with a total length of 4600 km. the middle of basin of the river. Odra is the sixth Many smaller rivers have basins located entirely largest tributary of the Baltic Sea and is known to within the province. 11% of the region are occupied be a one of big rivers. Odra is a border river by watersheds of Noteć and Nysa Łużycka, 12% – between the Polish and the Czech Republic, and Bóbr,