Water in the Drwęca River has been monitored in terms of differences in counts of bacteria which are active in transformations of nitrogen compounds depend on various man-made activity. In 2000–2001 samples of waters were assayed for counts of proteolytic, ammonifying, AOB, NOB, N-NO₃ to N-NO₂ reducing bacteria, denitrifying bacteria as well as anaerobic (Clostridium pasteurianum) and aerobic (Azotobacter sp.) atmospheric nitrogen binding bacteria, which differed within several orders (0–10⁵ cfu 1 cm⁻³ or MPN 100 cm⁻³) depending on the analysed physiological group of bacteria, sampling site or date. Statistically significant differences in counts of particular groups of microorganisms in the analysed water samples collected from the Drwęca River proved between the sampling dates only confirm that the river may be seasonally polluted by domestic sewage from towns and villages located in the river catchment or be associated with the cyclic nature of fisheries and/or agricultural production.