Summary:

This paper presents an assessment of the water quality of the Bochotniczanka river flowing through the area of community Naleczów and Spa Park resort in Nałęczów. It also identifies the root causes of pollution of the river and the measures to improve the status quo. It was found that the factors that have direct impact on water quality of the river are: study area pollution, especially surface runoff of eroded fields, as well as point pollution associated with disordered wastewater management in the catchment, which include, among others: farm cows, vacuum trucks base and horse riding. Physico-chemical indicators that indicate poor quality of the water in the tested river were: BOD5, ChZTCr, suspended solids and phosphates. Mean values of these ratios were generally outside the scope of the designated quality class in the Regulation of the Ministry of Environment [2011]. It was indicated that the abundance of coliforms and faecal coliforms, recorded in the waters of the Bochotniczanka river, in accordance with the Regulation of Ministry of Environment [2004], degrades it to V - the worst quality class and indicates their direct contamination by domestic waste. It was observed that the presence of a dam reservoir in the form of a pond in the Spa Park in Nałęczów significantly contributes to the retention of pollutants transported by the Bochchotniczanka river and to the improvement of water quality in its lower reaches. Accumulation of pollutants contributed to the ecological imbalance in the joint and the severity of the phenomena characteristic of eutrophic reservoirs. The result was a deficit of oxygen in the pond water and the fish kill in July 2012. It was recommended that in order to preserve the advantages of spa Nałęczów, including the attractiveness of the Spa Park, it is necessary to take appropriate actions to reduce or eliminate the flow of pollutants and contribute to the improvement of water quality in the Bochotniczanka river.