The submitted paper aims to clarify the abrasive waterjet technology, particularly from the point of view of produced surface topography. It provides a new insight into the deformation process caused by the effect of abrasive waterjet and into the possibilities of using the surface topography for solving the issues of optimization of the process. The subject of study is a system of cutting tool, material and final surface topography and optimization of their parameters. The cutting or disintegrating tool of abrasive waterjet technology is flexible. The trajectory of its cut traces is strictly determined here by disintegration resistance at critical moments of tool-material interaction. The physico-mechanical character of the interaction within the cut will manifest itself in the final surface condition. This process can be re-analysed by measuring the selected elements of topography and roughness on the final surface, namely depending on the depth of the cut, technological parameters of the tool and mechanical parameters of the material. The mentioned principle is the basis of the presented solution. It lies in the analytical processing and description of correlation interrelations between set technological and measured topographical quantities in relation to the depth of cut and the type of material.