English Section

Warsaw’s Vistula record 6 cm as city safeguards water supply

28.08.2025 10:00
Water on the Vistula in Warsaw fell to a record 6 cm on Thursday, beating a mark set a day earlier, the IMGW weather service said, as the capital reinforced measures to secure drinking water and river ferries remained suspended.
Low water level in the Vistula River near Warsaw in a photo from Wednesday.
Low water level in the Vistula River near Warsaw in a photo from Wednesday.Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański

IMGW reported the 6 cm reading at 5:00 a.m. at the Warszawa-Bulwary hydrological station, after a previous low of 7 cm on Wednesday.

The institute also noted that the absolute minimum for this area is 20 cm.

Low levels were recorded at 19 IMGW-monitored stations nationwide, while Dziarny on the Iławka river was the only site above the warning threshold.

Warsaw draws roughly 70% of its water from the Vistula and about 30% from the Zegrze Reservoir, and its network can shift supply between the two in case of shortfalls, said Renata Tomusiak, head of Warsaw Waterworks, in comments to PAP.

To boost capacity, the utility is building an additional intake and relies on hydraulic “loosening” units known as “Chude Wojtki” to maintain the riverbed so water can filter into the intake drains.

Two more of these vessels are due to arrive, and they operate almost continuously during low-water periods, Tomusiak said.

The city transport authority said Vistula ferry services have been suspended since August 12 until further notice due to the low water level.

(jh)

Source: PAP