Local authorities in many municipalities have launched intensified property inspections aimed at detecting illegal connections to the sewer network. Inspectors are using the so-called white smoke method, which, when introduced into the system, helps locate unauthorized connections. Owners found with such connections face high fines, reaching up to ten thousand zlotys. The campaign aims to secure the revenues of municipal water companies and protect the environment.
White Smoke Method
During inspections, inspectors use so-called white smoke, which is pumped into the sewer system. Smoke escaping in unexpected places, e.g., from gutters or inspection chambers on the property, indicates an improper connection. The method is safe, non-toxic, and allows for quick problem identification.
High Financial Penalties
Detection of an illegal connection may result in a monetary fine for the property owner. The amount can reach up to ten thousand zlotys. The fine is imposed based on local resolutions, often as a fee for regulatory violations, and is an additional burden beyond the requirement to bring the installation into legal compliance.
Municipal Financial Losses
Illegal connections mean tangible financial losses for municipal water and sewage companies. These companies do not collect fees for sewage disposal from such properties, which nationwide can translate to millions of zlotys in lost revenue. The inspections aim to reduce these losses.
Broader Legal Context
These actions align with the statutory duties of municipalities and the ownership rights of water companies. Companies have the right to inspect installations and demand the rectification of irregularities. Property owners are obligated to allow such inspections.
A large-scale property inspection campaign has begun in many Polish municipalities, aiming to detect illegal connections to sanitary sewer systems. Inspectors, authorized by local authorities or water companies, are using a distinctive and effective method involving the introduction of so-called white smoke into the network. This substance, a safe and non-toxic mixture, is pumped into the sewer at the connection point. Its purpose is to escape outside at any point where the installation is in contact with the atmosphere. If an improper connection exists on the property—for example, if household wastewater is discharged directly into a drainage ditch, a garden pond, or an absorption well instead of the legal network—white smoke will begin to escape from it, thus revealing the violation. The method also allows for locating hidden, unused, or forgotten connections that may be a source of technical problems. Property owners where such a connection is detected must face serious financial consequences. Under local resolutions, fines for such offenses can reach up to ten thousand zlotys. This penalty is imposed independently of the obligation to immediately rectify the irregularities and bring the installation into compliance with the law, which also generates additional costs. The Water Law and the Act on Collective Water Supply and Collective Sewage Disposal have regulated sewage management issues for decades, imposing on municipalities the obligation to provide appropriate infrastructure and on residents—the obligation to connect to the network if technically possible. The inspection activities have a direct economic dimension. Each illegal connection means a loss of revenue for the municipal water company from fees for sewage collection and treatment. Nationwide, with thousands of such cases, losses amount to millions of zlotys annually, impacting the financial health of the companies and potentially affecting tariff rates for all customers. The inspections are thus an attempt to recover part of these due revenues and fairly distribute the costs of infrastructure maintenance. The campaign is met with mixed reactions from residents. Some view it as a rightful action for environmental protection and fairness towards neighbors who regularly pay their bills. Others express concerns about the inspection procedure itself, although the law clearly grants water companies the authority to enter properties to inspect installations. Local governments announce that the actions will continue, and their intensity may increase in the coming months, especially in areas where the problem of illegal discharges is particularly acute.