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The Warsaw canals are former basic drainage systems that served agriculture by draining excess groundwater or irrigating the surrounding fields. Today, they run through Warsaw’s residential areas and serve as receptacles for rainwater and meltwater, as well as fulfilling ecological and landscape functions.
The network of canals, ditches and natural watercourses (rivers, streams, brooks) in Warsaw is not managed by a single authority. Some of these facilities are administered by our unit, whilst others are managed by the State Water Management Authority (Wody Polskie), water companies, district offices and private individuals.
We manage a total of 26 canals (over 60 km).
A list of the canals we manage can be found in the Water Areas tab.
Warsaw’s canals play a vital role in water management. They protect road infrastructure and residential areas from flooding. It is into these canals that rainwater and meltwater from urban areas flows. It is therefore essential to ensure that the canals remain unobstructed and maintain their flow capacity. To this end, we carry out regular maintenance work to ensure the free flow of water from the catchment area.
The canals in Warsaw also provide invaluable habitats for plants and animals. They form ecological corridors enabling animal migration and play a vital role in regulating the city’s microclimate. They constitute a natural and landscape enclave, and thanks to the walking and cycling paths running alongside the canals, they are also attractive places for recreation and leisure for residents.
Panorama of the eastern branch of the Piaseczyński Canal following renovation.
Twice a year, you can see workers carrying out maintenance work along our canals and on the embankments. This involves both manual and mechanical work, such as mowing the embankments and service strips, and removing vegetation rooted in the canal bed (we leave fragments of plants in place). For environmental reasons, we leave some aquatic vegetation in the water in selected sections of the canals. During the work, we repair the embankments – filling in holes and gaps.
Canals are structures designed to drain rainwater and meltwater from the city. They must therefore remain clear so that water can flow through them during heavy downpours or prolonged rainfall.
These measures aim to ensure safety in residential areas located along the canals. They also improve the aesthetic appeal of the surroundings.
The trees growing along the drains are also looked after by ZZW. We commission maintenance pruning of trees and remove trees only in extreme cases, i.e. where there is a threat to human health and life or to property. Where possible, we carry out new plantings.
During our work, we pay particular attention to the safety of animals, taking care not to disturb their nesting sites.
We oversee the operation of the Gocław Bluszcze Pumping Station, which provides flood protection for a significant part of Warsaw’s right bank. It is an open-water pumping station serving the catchment areas of the Nowa Ulga, Wawerski, Kawęczyński and Rembertowski Canals, as well as other smaller tributaries.
