Utility of Water-Based Databases for Underground Water Management: Legal and System Perspective

• Published in: Sustainability 2024-06, Vol.16 (11), p.4608
• Main Authors: Klimach, Anna, Zębek, Elżbieta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Belgium; Circular economy; Climate change; Consumption; Drinking water; Environmental economics; Groundwater pollution; Information systems; Legal documents; Legislation; Management; Monitoring systems; Natural resources; Poland; Pollutants; Prevention; Sustainable development; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trends; Water; Water resources management; Water, Underground
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su16114608

Groundwater is a strategic environmental resource due to its use to human consumption, and therefore requires special protection and monitoring in many databases. In Poland, groundwater data are included in different typical water-related databases such as Hydroportal, Portal of the State Hydrogeological Service and Portal of the Central Geological Database, which is linked to an integrated real estate information system (IREIS). This article aims to demonstrate how IREIS is used to manage groundwater in Poland. The analysis indicates that shortcomings and gaps are noticeable, e.g., duplication of data and significant lack of data necessary for the implementation of the legal instruments. It is therefore a priority to establish a harmonised permitting and sustainable management of resources by public authorities, supported by an appropriate information and resource system for the EU. There is a need for an increase in the amount of information in databases and a reduction in the number of databases with groundwater information. The results of the analysis of these information systems can provide guidance to other EU countries for more effective groundwater protection and management.