Water

Grupa Azoty S.A. 

The company abstracts surface water and groundwater, which is then treated and used in production and for hygienic and sanitary purposes. The related environmental impacts are monitored in accordance with the Water Law and the relevant decisions/permits. 

Grupa Azoty Puławy

The area in which the company operates lies within the Vistula River catchment. Surface water for the plant is withdrawn from water intake points on the Vistula and Kurówka Rivers. Deep water is abstracted from Quaternary water-bearing formations using 21 wells. The company produces the following types of water: 

• decarbonised water to be supplied to cooling circuits,
• demineralised water for the CHP plant and production units (from the Kurówka River and deep water), 
• drinking water (from deep water). 

The company complies with the permitted water abstraction limits and ensures that the quantity and quality of the wastewater discharged meet the parameters specified in its integrated pollution prevention and control permit. These quantities are determined based on the readings of the metering devices. The company reports the volumes of groundwater and surface water abstracted and wastewater discharged in keeping with the applicable regulations.

The company strives to reduce water abstraction volumes. The plant operation and maintenance staff monitor the operation of the equipment for optimised water usage. The relevant supervision procedures are described in wastewater manuals, job instruction manuals and system procedures. 

Grupa Azoty Police

The company abstracts water from the Oder and Gunica Rivers, using it for industrial, cooling and firefighting purposes. Industrial (process) wastewater from production processes is transferred to the on-site wastewater treatment facility. Spent cooling water and stormwater from the plant premises are discharged directly into the internal sea waters (the Oder).¹ They undergo automatic pH monitoring on a continuous basis. Environmental impacts associated with water usage are analysed as part of surface water monitoring in accordance with the integrated pollution prevention and control permit.

The company continuously measures the amount of water abstracted. The quality of the water is tested every two months by an accredited laboratory. Abstraction of water from the Oder does not materially affect the water quality or resources of the river. The company’s water footprint, i.e. the amount of water it uses both directly and indirectly, is monitored, fostering the prudent use of water resources.

The Group adheres to current standards for the Integrated Management System, including the environmental management system compliant with EN ISO 14001:2015. It ensures that the concept of continuous improvement is implemented in practice and has all the features specified in BAT conclusions. Spent cooling water is partly reused in the production of softened water and demineralised water. Some volumes of spent cooling water are returned to the water intake point and then reused. Condensates are recycled and reused at the plant for various purposes, depending on the degree of purity.

Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn

The company uses water to support its industrial processes, as a cooling agent, as sanitary and drinking water, for fire protection and to produce water for special applications. All organisational units are required to manage water rationally, prevent its losses, and prevent equipment failures. The company abstracts water from: 

• the surface intake on the Oder River, 
• the surface intake on the Łącza stream,
• deep water wells (Tertiary and Quaternary groundwater). 

The company is seeking to increase the use of treated industrial wastewater and stormwater to produce deeply treated water. No conflicts with local communities were recorded because the company observes the principles of corporate social responsibility. 

Water withdrawal from all areas, by source (Ml)²

² The Grupa Azoty Group does not classify water into low-mineralised and other water, as such division is not relevant to its operations. Water abstracted by the Grupa Azoty Group is monitored through continuous or periodic measurements. Such measurements are made using certified metering devices, with the permitted level of water abstraction set out in the integrated pollution prevention and control or water-law permits.

Water withdrawal from water stress areas (Ml)³

³ Grupa Azoty S.A., Grupa Azoty Puławy and Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn do not withdraw water from water stress areas. The company identifies water stress areas using data published by the Environmental Protection Institute of the National Research Institute Wizualizacje ryzyka dla Polski – Klimada 2.0 (ios.gov.pl). In 2021, GA Police identified the Gunica River as a water stress area due to its low water level.
⁴ According to the most recent decision issued by the Regional Water Management Authority of Szczecin, the Gunica River is not a water stress area. Therefore, the amount of water abstracted from that river is presented elsewhere in the 2022 report.

Water discharge by discharge point (Ml)⁵

⁵ The Grupa Azoty Group does not classify water into low-mineralised and other water, as such division is not relevant to its operations. ‘Other organisations’ were taken into account as discharge points in the summary, but none of the companies disclosed such discharge.

Water discharge in all areas by type of water (Ml)⁶

⁶ The Grupa Azoty Group does not classify water into low-mineralised and other water, as such division is not relevant to its operations.

Once a uniform classification of water stress areas in Poland was adopted by the key companies of the Grupa Azoty Group, no water discharge into such areas was disclosed in 2022.

Water discharge by stage of treatment (Ml)⁷

⁷ The Grupa Azoty Group does not classify water into low-mineralised and other water, as such division is not relevant to its operations.
⁸ Cooling water.
⁹ Central industrial wastewater treatment unit (COŚP) – mechanical and chemical treatment plant.
¹⁰ Neutralisation, aeration, coagulation, sedimentation, sediment separation, wastewater deeper treatment in pressure-equalising tanks.
¹¹ The mechanical wastewater treatment process at the central mechanical wastewater treatment plant includes removal of debris, sands and fatty substances from wastewater.
¹² Mechanical and chemical treatment process.
¹³ Tertiary biological treatment unit (pond) – natural biological and physico-chemical processes of self-purification from nitrogen and organic compounds. Through the discharge channel, wastewater generated by the company, including that treated in individual treatment units, flows up to the tertiary biological wastewater treatment unit (pond).
¹⁴ Removal of debris and fatty substances from wastewater at the Piskorzowiec plant. Wastewater is self-purified in the system of earth sediment and pressure-equalising tanks.
¹⁵ All wastewater discharged by Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY, including wastewater that has received primary and secondary treatment, undergoes tertiary treatment.

Given the various characteristics of their production processes, the applicable legal requirements and technologies in place, each of the Group companies uses different wastewater treatment methods. 

Grupa Azoty S.A.

• Primary and Secondary – mechanical treatment plant.

Grupa Azoty Puławy

• Primary – central industrial wastewater treatment plant (mechanical and chemical treatment),
• Secondary – biological wastewater treatment plant,
• Tertiary – tertiary biological treatment pond.

Grupa Azoty Police

• Primary – mechanical and chemical wastewater treatment plant.

Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn

• Primary – central mechanical wastewater treatment plant,
• Secondary – central mechanical and biological wastewater treatment plant,
• Tertiary – Piskorzowiec Treatment Plant (removal of fatty substances, debris and suspensions).