This document provides definitions for various water-related terms in English, Polish and Spanish. It includes over 50 terms related to water quality, treatment, distribution, hydrology and other water-science topics. The terms are translated phrase-by-phrase into the other two languages to serve as a tri-lingual glossary for water professionals, students or others interested in water resources.

1. ENGLISH-POLISH-SPANISH WATER
GLOSSARY

2. Acid deposition: the falling of acids and acid-forming
compounds from the atmosphere to the earth’s surface. It is
commonly known as acid rain.
Depozycja kwasów
Deposición ácida

3. Acid solution: any water solution that has more hydrogen
ions (H+) than hydroxide ions (OH-); any water solution with a
pH less than 7.
Solución es ácida
Roztwór kwasu

4. Accumulation: the process in which water pools in large
bodies (such as oceans, seas and lakes).
Acumulación
Akumulacja

5. Acid Rain: rain with pH below 5.5
Lluvia ácida
Kwaśny deszcz

6. Acre-Foot: the quantity of water required to cover one acre to
a depth of one foot; equal to 43,560 cubic feet, or
approximately 325,851 gallons.
Pie Acre
Stopa akrowa

7. Aeration: the process of mixing air with water; this
increases the oxygen level.
Aeración
Napowietrzanie

8. Alluvial: Sediment deposited by flowing water, such as in a
riverbed.
Aluvial
Napływowy

9. Alum: a very sticky substance added to water during
treatment that causes particles in the water to stick together.
Alumbre
Ałun

10. Aquifer: an underground layer of rock, sediment or soil that
is filled or saturated with water.
Acuifero
Warstwa wodonośna

11. Aquitard: A layer of rock over an aquifer through which water
cannot soak.
Aquitard
Półprzepuszczalna warstwa
wzdłuż warstwy wodonośnej.

12. Artificial Recharge: The addition of water to a ground water
reservoir by human activity, such as irrigation or induced in
form streams, wells, or recharge basins.
Recarga artificial
Sztuczne nawadnianie

13. Brackish Water: water containing dissolved minerals in
amounts that exceed normally acceptable standards for
municipal, domestic, and irrigation uses. Considerably less
saline than sea water.
Agua salobre
Woda brachiczna

14. Catch basin: an opening on the side of street which is the
entrance to the stormdrain
Cuenca
Ściek uliczny

15. Coagulation: caused by adding alum to water, coagulation
occurs when small particles cling together, creating particles
large enough to be filtered out.
Coagulación
Koagulacja

16. Condensation: the process of water changing from a vapor
(gas state) to a liquid state.
Condensación
Skraplanie

17. Contamination: the addition of an undesirable and
potentially harmful material; pollution.
Contaminación
Zanieczyszczenie,
skażenie

18. Creek: a stream that is smaller than a river and larger than a
brook.
Crujido
Potok

19. Critical Dry Period: a series of water-deficient years in
which a full reservoir storage system at the beginning is drawn
down (without any spill) to minimum storage at the end.
Periodo seco critico
Krytyczny okres suchy

20. Desalination: a process that converts sea water or brackish
water to fresh water or an otherwise more usable condition
through removal of dissolved solids. Also called "desalting."
Desalinización
Odsalanie

21. Drip Irrigation: a method of watering plants using hoses
and emitters with small holes through which water drips
Riego por goteo
Nawadnianie kroplowe

22. Drought: An extended period of limited or no precipitation
(rain or snow)
Borrador
Susza

23. Estuary: the wide lower course of a river where its current is
met by the tides of the ocean.
Estuario
Ujśćie

24. Evaporation: the change of liquid to a vapor or gas, usually
by contact with heat.
Evaporación
Parowanie

25. Evapotranspiration: the total amount of water loss in plants
due to evaporation and water loss through plant tissue.
Evapotranspiración
Ewapotranspiracja

26. Filtration: The process of running water through a filter to
remove undissolved impurities. Filtration occurs naturally
through soil.
Filtración
Filtracja

27. Furrow Irrigation: A type of irrigation which allows water to
flood furrows between crop rows.
Riego por surcos
Nawadnianie bruzdowe

28. Groundwater: Water that is stored underground in the pore
space of aquifers.
Agua subterránea
Wody gruntowe

29. Groundwater Basin: A groundwater reservoir, together with
all the overlying land surface and underlying aquifers that
contribute water to the reservoir.
Tanque de agua subterráneas
Zbiornik wód podziemnych

30. Groundwater Mining: The withdrawal of water from an aquifer greatly in
excess of replenishment; if continued, the underground supply will
eventually be exhausted or the water table will drop below economically
feasible pumping lifts.
Mineria de aguas subterráneas
Wydobycie wód podziemnych

31. Groundwater Recharge: Increases in groundwater by
natural conditions or by human activity.
Recarga de aguas subterráneas
Uzupełnianie wód gruntowych

32. Hydrology: The scientific study of the properties,
distribution and effects of water in the atmosphere, on the
earth's surface and in soil and rocks.
Hidrología
Hydrologia

33. Infiltration: The process by which water seeps into the soil.
Infiltración
Infiltracja

34. Overdraft: Withdrawal of groundwater in excess of a basin's
perennial yield
Sobregiro
Nadmierna ekploatacja wód
gruntowych

35. Percolate / Infiltrate: To ooze or trickle through a
permeable substance.
Filtrarse
Przenikać

36. Percolation: Water soaking into the ground through
particles of soil.
Percolación
Przesiąkanie

37. Pollutant: Any substance, biological or chemical, in which an
identified excess is known to be harmful to desirable
organisms (both plants and animals)
Contaminante
Polutant

38. Pollution: Items and chemicals that endanger the quality of
life and life itself.
Contaminación
Zanieczyszczenie

39. Potable: Water that is safe to drink.
Potable
Zdatny do picia

40. Precipitation: The fall of condensed moisture as rain, snow
or sleet
Precipitaciones
Opad

41. Primary Treatment: The first stage of wastewater treatment;
involves passing through a comminutor, grit chamber, and
sedimentation
Basica comportamiento
Wstępne uzdatnianie wody

42. Recharge: The process of water seeping through soil into an
aquifer or groundwater basin.
Recarga
Zasilanie

43. Recharge Basin: A surface facility, often a large pond, used to
increase the infiltration of water into a groundwater basin.
Recarga artificial
Zbiornik zasilający

44. Reclaimed Water: Water that is treated at a treatment plant
after is was used once, and is now safe to use again for certain
purposes.
Agua regenerada
Odzyskana woda

45. Return Flow: The portion of withdrawn water that is not
consumed by evapotranspiration and returns instead to its
source or to another body of water.
Caudal de retorno
Przepływ zwrotny

46. Riparian: Habitat found near the source of fresh water.
El puerto
Nadbrzeże

47. Riverbed: the bed or channel in which a river flows.
El lecho
Koryto rzeczne

48. Runoff: Rain that is not absorbed by the soil, and flows into
the surface of the soil.
Escorrentía
Odpływ

49. Safe Yield: The amount of water that can be taken from a
water storage that will be replaced naturally.
Rendimiento seguro
Bezpieczne wydobycie

50. Salinity: The concentration of mineral salts dissolved in
water.
Salinidad
Zasolenie

51. Secondary Treatment: The second stage of wastewater
treatment during which the water goes through aeration,
followed by the addition of aerobic bacteria.
Un tratamiento
secundario
Oczyszczanie ścieków
drugiego stopnia

52. Sedimentation: A step in water treatment where particles in
water fall to the bottom of a tank and are removed.
Sedimentación
Sedymentacja

53. Silt: Sediments which are removed from water at a treatment
plant.
Cieno
Osad wodny

54. Sludge: Sediments which are removed from water at a
treatment plant.
El lodo
Szlam, osad.

55. Storm Drain: Low area or device designed to carry away extra
rainwater. A pipe that travels from the catch basin to the
creeks and ocean.
Desagüe pluvial
Burzowiec

56. Stream: A current of water; a small river.
Riachuelo
Strumień

57. Surface Water: Water which is found on the earth's surface:
lakes, streams, rivers, reservoirs, etc.
Aguas superficiales
Wody powierzchniowe

58. Tertiary Treatment: The third stage of wastewater treatment
where water goes through coagulation, sedimentation,
filtration, and the addition of chlorine.
El tratamiento
terciario
Trzeci stopień
oczyszczania ścieków

59. Transpiration: The exchange of water from plants and trees
to the atmosphere.
Transpiración
Transpiracja

60. Wastewater: Water that has been used by either humans or
industry; any water that enters the sewage system.
Aguas residuales
Ścieki

61. Wastewater (Sewage) Treatment Plant: A treatment facility
where the wastewater (sewer) is cleaned.
Planta de tratamiento
Oczyszczalnia ścieków

62. Water Cycle: The continuous cycle of evaporation,
condensation, and precipitation in which water is continually
being recycled.
El ciclo del agua
Cykl hydrologiczny

63. Water Table: The surface of underground, gravity-controlled
water.
Capa freática
Zwierciadło wód
gruntowych

64. Water Treatment Plant: A plant where water is treated to
make it fit for potable use.
La planta de tratamiento
de aguas
Stacja uzdatniania wody

65. Water Vapor: Water in an invisible gaseous state or in a
visible liquid state consisting of extremely small particles
suspended in the air.
El vapor de agua
Para wodna