The Influence of Sewage System on the Functioning and Quality of Krakow’s Watercourses

Abstract

The content of heavy metals, pH, Eh, and EC were measured for the Vistula River and its two tributaries, Prądnik-Białucha and Wilga, functioning as rainwater collectors for Krakow. Water sediments were collected from several inlets of the rainwater canals into the Prądnik-Białucha and Wilga. The Vistula was examined to catch the change of water environment quality of those two tributaries as well as storm overflow systems installed on both its left and right bank. In this last case the research was based on the bottom sediments of the storm overflow system, from its inlets into the Vistula River, and from the inside of the waste water collector. Also, samples of suspension and water were collected where the bridges are located and also near Dębnicki bridge bottom sediments. The sampling was conducted in 2004-2005 but because of financial constraints after ten years the tests were not repeated, but it was decided to publish the results. The attention was paid to the Cd and Pb content in the sediments of sanitary catch basins from the Wilga and the Prądnik, in Vistula sediments from storm overflow system, in the siphon, in the suspension of Vistula waters, and in fine-grain river silts.