Hidrológiai Közlöny, 2016 (96. évfolyam)

2016 / 3. szám - HISTORICAL SNAPSHOT - Juhász Endre - Major Veronika: Sanitation in Hungary

32

Hungarian Journal of Hydrology Vol. 96. No. 3. 2016.

Figure 18. Population connected to wastewater treatment plant, in some EU Member States (Source: URL4)

In 2013, ratio of households connected to wastewater collecting system in Western European countries significantly exceeded the ratio of Hungary, but compared to the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe, the situation is better only in the Czech Republic.

ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030 define the following tasks for public water sector (Fig. 19):

Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

Traditional Water Management (Non integrated Water Resources)

Water

Supply

□

Wastewater

B

Stormwater

wetReceiving

Waters

Integrated Water Management (Integrated Water Resources)

Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Figure 19. Sustainable Development Goals for public water sector (Source: URL5)

Looking at the SDGs, Hungary goes in the right direction with regard to providing clean drinking water and sanitation, taking into account the available water sources. Appling integrated water resources management systems (Fig. 20) becomes a more and more urgent task in order to facilitate sustainable development and to support the adaptation to effects of climate change.

Politics realised the significance of the problem and they entrusted the experts with the task of carrying out necessary work to facilitate integrated water resources management.

Beneficial reuse of stormwater

(e.g., groundwater recharge)

Figure 20. Traditional versus Integrated Water Management (Source: URL6)

Wastewater, storm water, drinking water and sewage sludge must be looked upon as resources that together form our integrated water resources.

Expected developments and trends

Hungarian development goals must be in accordance with UN Sustainable Development Goals and relevant EU directives, strategies and recommendations. The followings are of fundamental importance: Europe 2020 Strategy, European Climate Change Programme, and the EU's 7th Environment Action Programme until 2020. Hungarian Adaptation of these documents happens through the National Climate Change Strategy (2008- 2025) (NÉS), and the 4th National Environmental Protection Programme.