Do you have a well on your plot? Inspections are becoming more and more frequent and fines amount to thousands of zlotys
Polish Waters is intensifying inspections of groundwater intakes. The penalty for using a well without the required permit is a fine of up to PLN 7,500. zloty.
Using your own well does not always require additional consent. The regulations allow water to be taken without a permit if the intake is no more than 30 meters deep and the daily consumption does not exceed 5 cubic meters. However, exceeding any of these limits means the need to obtain a water permit.
The problem especially intensifies during drought. When the availability of surface water decreases, some users decide to drill deeper or withdraw larger amounts of water. Polish Waters indicate that the number of inspections increases with this phenomenon.
Fines for illegal water consumption amount to PLN 7,500. zloty
A fine ranging from PLN 1,000 to PLN 7,500 is provided for using groundwater without the required consent. In the most serious cases, arrest or restriction of liberty is also possible. Sanctions may also apply to persons who do not fulfill the obligations arising from the decision to withdraw or expire a water permit.
The scale of the problem is visible in the statistics. In 2025, 4,722 decisions were issued related to illegal abstraction of groundwater, while in the first part of 2026 there were already 1,798 of them. The total amount of fines imposed in 2025–2026 exceeded PLN 14 million. The highest sanction amounted to over PLN 766,000. zloty.
Polish Waters is increasing the number of inspections
In 2025, almost every fifth field inspection concerned groundwater abstraction. In 2026, the share of such activities is expected to increase to 25%. The reason is, among others, increasing interest in groundwater during long periods without rainfall.
Specialists from the Polish Geological and Polish Water Institute indicate that in some parts of the country, unrecorded abstraction may correspond to up to half of the amount of water abstracted legally. The problem is particularly visible in areas affected by agricultural drought.
When is a well permit necessary?
A water permit is required when the well is more than 30 meters deep or the water consumption exceeds 5 cubic meters per day. The document may be issued for a maximum of 30 years. It may also be withdrawn or limited in certain cases.
The cost of issuing a water permit is PLN 330.07. At the same time, there is an upper fee limit of PLN 6,372.27. Therefore, well owners should pay attention primarily to the depth of the intake and the actual amount of water withdrawn, because exceeding these values may lead to control and financial consequences.
