This week is World Water Week organised by the international Water NGO.

While over the past 50 years water consumption has tripled, Poland has one of the lowest resources per capita of drinkable water in Europe.

The worst situation is in central areas and in the mid-south, with the water table regularly sinking to dramatic lows, and especially during hot and dry summers.

Professor Mirosław Kwietniewski from the Technical University of Warsaw says that the reserves are so small, everyone should be aware of the need to save water:

"We are not a desert but the resources are restricted and not regularly distributed, which means we should save water and rationalize its use," he told Polish Radio.

Water usage in Poland has been dropping over the past few years, mainly because of growing prices.

The Water charity, which launched this week's initiative is a non profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. They claim to give 100 percent of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. (ek/pg)