Hidrológiai Közlöny, 2016 (96. évfolyam)
2016 / 3. szám - HISTORICAL SNAPSHOT - Kerekes-Steindl Zsuzsanna: Water quality protection in Hungary - policy and status
43 Water quality protection in Hungary - policy and status Zsuzsanna Kerekes-Steindl Water quality expert, retired deputy head of ministry department (E-mail: zs.sleindl@upcmail.hu ) Abstract The quality of surface and groundwater in Hungary are determined by the pollution loads from different point and diffuse sources, the hydromorphological alterations of rivers’ and lakes’ beds and water regime, as well as the quality of transboundary rivers entering into the country. In the last some decades relevant water protection legislation and state administration system have been set up. The responsible organizations controlling the quality of waters operate monitoring networks. On the basis of measured data the ecological and chemical status of surface waters, as well as the chemical and quantitative status of groundwater are assessed using the common principles determined by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). This paper gives an overview of the main water quality challenges in Hungary, briefly discusses the legal, institutional, monitoring and assessment methodological developments over the last half century. That is followed by a concise description of the current status of surface and groundwater resources in the country. It is concluded that although the quality of waters is much better today than it was in the 1970-80s, implementation of significant number of further measures is necessary to fulfil the environmental objectives required by EU WFD until 2027. Keywords Water quality protection; surface and groundwater; ecological and chemical status; point and diffuse pollution sources; chemical pollutants; water quality monitoring; water quality status assessment; programs of measures. INTRODUCTION In principle surface waters and groundwater are renewable natural resources. In addition to adequate volumes of water, the social and economic development is also dependent on good water quality. The human activity is the main cause of pollution that makes water polluted, resulting in even dangerous and unusable status of water for different uses. To ensure, that all reasonable and practicable measures are taken to protect, restore and enhance the quality of the environment, including waters, such a policy is needed that supports the principle of ecologically sustainable development. The interest of society for protection of surface and groundwater against contamination increased during the past decades in Hungary. Regulations and actions to limit pollution, manage wastewaters, protect and improve the quality of waters became gradually part of the national environmental protection and water management policy. This article intends to give a brief overview about the main pressures and impacts determining the quality of waters in Hungary, and about the legislation, relevant institutional system and measures, necessary for further improvement of quality of waters. THE MAIN WATER QUALITY ISSUES IN HUNGARY More than 95 % of the Hungarian surface waters are originated from catchments located upstream of the country and a significant part of the groundwater bodies is also divided by borders. Therefore the quality of our water resources is highly dependent on the incoming water quality, and on all activities affecting the quality of incoming waters from upstream neighbouring countries. Moreover, there are many other pollution sources within the country too, which highly influence the quality of our waters. Most of the water quality problems are caused by- high amount of organic and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous components) loads,- hazardous chemical pollutants discharged into waters,- hydromorphological alterations affecting the ecological status of waters,- pollutions and over-exploitations of groundwater. These problems are considered as significant water management issues, which require appropriate measures to ensuring adequate quality of surface and groundwater everywhere in the country. The above pollutants mainly originated from- point sources (e.g. treated wastewater discharges from treatment plants or not treated sewage discharges through sewage network; wastewaters from industrial installations),- diffuse pollution sources (e.g. runoff entering into waters from agricultural sites and activities, from urban and other areas, from illegal or inadequate waste landfills, „historically” polluted areas; pollution loads from rainwaters, inland waters, air- pollution depositions, and from natural origin background pollution sources). The higher concentration of organic and nutrient substances can change the living condition of aquatic ecosystems. The decomposition of the organic substances consumes the dissolved oxygen, and the high amount of nutrients can accelerate the growth or decay processes of the water related flora in unnatural degree (eutrophication, extreme growing of algae and seaweeds, decay of reed areas, densely overgrown of river channels, lake and ponds bands, etc.). Many Hungarian surface waters (especially lakes) are in eutrophic status, partly due to high amount of pollution loads and partly to the natural hydro- logical and hydrometeorological conditions that are typical to the country. In case of groundwater the higher nitrate concentration below settlements is mostly the consequence of the non-collected wastewaters, and the inadequate use of fertilisers and manures on agricultural areas.
