ABSTRACT
The measurements of the water quality in the national monitoring network are performed by Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection and Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. The structure of the surface waters monitoring considers the connections with the basin system, and the administrative system. The water quality of rivers has been the subject of interest as far back as the last century. In 1876, Mendelejew, according to his project of new water supply system and sewage system for Warsaw analyzed the Vistula water quality. Abundant information on the pollution outflow from the drainage area accumulated during the Vistula investigation program in the mouth section and limited advantages from routine river monitoring resulted in a new concept of monitoring. The location of most industry and main sources of harmful pollutants in the upper parts of the river basins is of great importance to the quality of Polish rivers.
