Don’t do this with rainwater in 2026. 10 thousand. PLN will disappear quickly
Water that falls to the earth’s surface in the form of precipitation causes Poles more and more worries. Not all ways of getting rid of it are legal in 2026.
It is no coincidence that Poland has strict regulations regarding rainwater drainage. This is about protecting against serious problems with urban infrastructure.
Although we are aware of the presence of sewage systems, we do not fully know how it actually works, what it is for and what is harmful to it. It is worth starting your education by becoming aware of the division into sanitary, storm and combined sewage systems.
What is the difference between sanitary sewage and rainwater sewage?
Sanitary sewage is a system of pipes, channels and devices used to safely collect and discharge sewage from toilets, bathrooms, kitchens and buildings to sewage treatment plants or septic tanks. It is a key infrastructure ensuring hygiene and environmental protection, operating mainly by gravity. This is not the same as storm sewage, which is used to collect and discharge rain and melted snow from roofs, roads, parking lots and sidewalks. It works independently of the sanitary sewage system, preventing street flooding and land erosion.
Combined sewerage is an old sewage system that discharges all types of sewage through one common channel to a sewage treatment plant. If everything ends up in the sewage treatment plant anyway, why fines?
It turns out that rainwater discharged into the sanitary sewage system poses a threat to urban infrastructure. Due to its purpose, sanitary sewage systems have smaller pipe diameters than rainwater sewage systems. Sand and stones carried by water often clog pumps, which increases the cost of their operation and the cost of maintaining the sewage treatment plant, and these expenses translate into higher fees for residents.
Inspections of water utilities are detailed
Therefore, illegal discharge of rainwater into the sanitary sewage system may result in a fine of up to PLN 10,000. PLN or even a penalty of restriction of liberty. And there are several ways of control they usually take place without entering the property.
Water utilities use a fogging device that allows you to check whether rainwater from your property flows into the sanitary sewage system or into the storm sewer system. Another method is to use dyes to detect incorrect or leaky connections between the gutter system and the sanitary sewage system or to determine the water flow route.
An alternative to illegal rainwater drainage is the use of retention tanks, which is very important to local authorities. The water stored in this way can be used for watering lawns, gardens, for cleaning or for other household purposes.
