# Water Law – water-law permits for industrial waste water

Act of 20 July 2017 – Water Law (Prawo wodne)

- Status: Amendments pending
- Legal order: Poland
- Legal area: Industrial emissions and permits
- Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1335 (consolidated text), as amended
- Business profile: Mining, Smelting, Semi-fabrication, Recycling

## In brief

The discharge of industrial waste water into waters or into the ground and the introduction of waste water containing particularly harmful substances into third-party sewerage systems require a water-law permit and fees for water services.

## Key obligations

- water-law permit for water services, including the discharge of waste water into waters or into the ground (Art. 35(3)(5), Art. 389(1))
- permit for the introduction into third-party sewerage systems of waste water containing particularly harmful substances (Art. 34(3), Art. 389(2))
- measurement of the quantity of water abstracted and of the quantity and quality of waste water, record of measurements (Art. 101(1))
- fees for water services for water abstraction and discharge of waste water (Art. 268(1)(1)–(2))

## Competent authority

State Water Holding Polish Waters (Wody Polskie) – director of the Regional Water Management Authority (RZGW), for installations under Art. 378(2a) POŚ (Art. 397(3)); for IED installations, water conditions are set in the integrated permit

## Penalties

Use of waters in excess of the conditions of the water-law or integrated permit – detention, restriction of liberty or a fine of PLN 1,000–7,500 (Art. 476(1)); failure to carry out measurements – Art. 477(4).

## Entry into force

01.01.2018

## Application

consolidated text of 17.09.2026; amendments Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1358 (in force 3.11.2026) and poz. 1156 (in force 1.01.2027)

## Key dates

- 03.11.2026: entry into force of the amendment Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1358
- 31.12.2026: postponement of the measuring device obligation under Art. 36 to 1.01.2030 (Art. 552(1) as worded from 31.12.2026)
- 01.01.2027: entry into force of the amendment Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1156
- 01.01.2030: application of the requirement for devices measuring the quantity of water and waste water (Art. 552(1))

## Pending changes

Print No 3001 – amendment of Art. 340 (objections to the water management inspection report), passed by the Sejm on 8.10.2026.

## Related acts

- [Environmental Protection Law – integrated permits, fees, penalties](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-pos/)
- [Industrial Emissions Directive (IED 2.0)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-ied/)

## Official sources

- [Text of the act](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20170001566)
- [Consolidated text](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20260001335)
- [Sejm API – consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1335](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1335/text.pdf)
- [Sejm API – document information on the Act and amending acts](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2017/1566)

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Register as of: 22.10.2026. The official text of the act prevails. IGMNiR. On the website: https://igmnir.org/en/law/#akt-pl-prawo-wodne