Summary:

The dynamic growth of civilisation requires sufficient access to broadly defined infrastructure. The term stands for a collection of public service devices and installations that are indispensable for providing proper operation of national economy and society's existence [Krakowiak-Bal, 2004]. For centuries, infrastructure has been best developed in the places characterised by highest population density, i.e. mainly in urban areas. This tendency is still noticeable, however, the implemented programs and European Union funds ensure reducing disproportions between rural and urban areas. The main role in this process is occupied by the Rural Development Programme, which enables receiving external funding for the realisation of infrastructure investments most crucial for the region. According to Siemiński [1996], infrastructure, with regard to its scope, is categorised into three groups: utility infrastructure, social infrastructure and economic infrastructure. The present paper considers the issues of utility infrastructure. This type of infrastructure is characterised by unalterable location in an area, general accessibility, functionality and availability. It is considered to be linear, long-lasting, capital-intensive (requiring high investment and exploitation expenditures) indivisible, and its construction requires complex technique and technology. All branches of utility infrastructure (such as waterworks, sewage systems, roads, railroads, etc.) are closely connected with their surroundings.The aim of the paper was to estimate spatial variation of saturation with chosen elements of utility infrastructure in the chosen communes and municipalities of the Malopolskie province, on the basis of Moran I statistics. Three branches of utility infrastructure were selected as the subject matter for analysis: water supply system, sewage system and gas system. The results of the study regard search queries in the Central Statistical Office dating from 2004 to 2010. This period of time was chosen for research purposes with the aim of illustrating the development of the chosen branches of utility infrastructure in the pre- and post-accession period. It was observed within the selected period of time that the highest development of utility infrastructure occurred in a group of communes and municipalities with largely developed sewage systems - over 100 kilometres of network per every 100 square kilometres of the area. Spatial analysis of indicators proves that there are clusters of communes and municipalities in the central area of the Malopolskie province that manifest high values in Moran I statistics. They stand in opposition to the northern and southern parts of the region, where the clusters of communes and municipalities manifest low values. Such spatial correlations are observed within all the selected branches of utility infrastructure.