Hidrológiai Közlöny 1977 (57. évfolyam)

1. szám - Dr. Illés György: A HUN/PIP 001 Project jelentősége a magyar vízgazdálkodásban

HIDROLÓGIAI KÖZLÖNY 57. ÉVFOLYAM 1. SZÁM 1—56. oldal Budapest, 1977. január Significance of the Project HUN/PIP 001 in Hungarian water management By Dr. Gy. ILLÉS* The struggle for water and against the destructive forces thereof has become increasingly intensive with the development of society and technology. The evolution of the human settlement pattern and economic history in the individual countries has always been related closely to the availability of water. In modern times this problem has been made even more acute by the tremendous pollution of the oceans, lakes and streams. Water pollution has brought about radical changes in aquatic life, in the direct and broader human environment. Pollution abatement has therefore become a task of eminent importance to the governments and to the competent water management agencies. All special branches of water management in Hungary affect directly, or indirectly the human environment by the specific measures, by expanding the network of water projects. The fundamental importance to the human environment of water availability is further emphasized by the main canals already constructed, e.g. the Eastern Main Canal, by the regulated river sections, the regulated shore sections along the natural lakes, such as Lake Balaton and Lake Velence, which present recreation opportunities to the population, just as the artificial reservoirs in Borsod County, or in the valley of the Gaja Creek, further along the artificial lake created at Kisköre, over the backwater reach of the second barrage on the Tisza River. Works on the large-scale water resources projects in Hungary had been started in the last century already, by the regulation of the major streams. As a result thereof lai'ge areas have * Deputy President;, National Water Authority. This issue is a special number dealing with the tasks and results of the UNDP, WHO Project HUN/PIP 001. The last 5 papers will be published in the February 1977 issue of „Hidrológiai Közlöny". become available for production and human settlements, the fertility of the soil has increased and the useless marsh and swamp areas presenting continuous hazards to human health have been reduced appreciably. The need for pollution abatement arose as a completely new problem in connection therewith, but such efforts have been started essentially round fifteen years ago only. The magnitude of the hazards involved has been indicated by a growing number of signs in the late fifties, e.g. the fish decay in the Soroksár Danube, the complete deterioration of some recreation lakes, including Lake Tata, etc. The growing rate of water pollution is illustrated by the following few figures: in 1950 round 312 million cu.m of effluents were discharged annually into the recipients from human and industrial settlements. By 1960 and 1970 this figure has increased to 520 and 1 thousand million cu.m, respectively. The present figure is round 1.2 thousand million cu.m. To round off the picture, the data on wastewater treatment should also be considered. Prior to 1950 a negligible proportion of the communal wastewaters has only received some kind of treatment, while no more than 8 per cent of the industrie effluents were treated before being discharged into a recipient. The situation has improved somewhat since. At public sewage treatment plants 36 per cent of the growing wastewater volumes are treated, while 67 per cent of the industrial effluents receive complete, or at least partial treatment. In view of the tremendous increase in wastewater volume, these figures reflect the vast efforts made, yet also the magnitude of the tasks to be accomplished to meet all demands. These apparently modest results have been attained by investing 16 thousand million Ft in sewerage and sewage treatment at communities and industries during the past fifteen years.