Hidrológiai Közlöny, 2016 (96. évfolyam)

2016 / 3. szám - HISTORICAL SNAPSHOT - Kerekes-Steindl Zsuzsanna: Water quality protection in Hungary - policy and status

Zsuzsanna Kerekes-Steindl: Water quality protection in Hungary - policy and status

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countries (Germany, Austria) sewage treatment plants with higher level of treatment were intensively built. Both facts resulted in substantial decrease of pollution loads entering into surface waters. For illustration a single numerical data can be mentioned here: in 1994 the total of nitrogen fertilizer application rate was as low in Hungary as in 1960s, and it was about one-third of the maximum rate of 1988. At the beginning of the 2000s, some of the quality parameters started to show slightly increasing trends again, as the industrial and agricultural activities started to recover again, but because using generally higher level technologies than earlier, it caused relatively lower level pollution of surface waters. Additionally, in this period, investment programs in wastewater collection and treatment became more intensive. The quality of most of the Hungarian surface waters belonged to the middle, „acceptable” class according to the 5-class assessment system mentioned earlier around early 2000s and approx. 15-20 % of surface waters reached the limit values of the good quality by the same assessment method.

The ecological and chemical quality assessment of the WFD compatible data was implemented for the first time during the preparation of the first national river basin management plan (RBMP1) published on 22nd December 2009. The plan was revised in 2015 (RBMP2), and during this process the status of river water bodies was reassessed, as well. For RBMP2 the data from the period 2008-2012 were used. On the basis of ecological status 9% of the total designated river and lakes water bodies (1078) is in “high” or in “good” quality, but three-quarter of the water bodies required further measures to reach the good quality (Fig. 7).

■ High oGood □ Moderate □ Poor ■ Bad DNo data □ Not qualifed

Figure 7. Ecological quality of surface waters in ratio of total water bodies (VGT2 2015.)

The ecological status is determined mainly by the status of biological elements. From the parameters, supporting the biological elements, the classification of the physical-chemical elements shows generally a better picture, namely 59% of the assessed river water bodies and 44 % of the lake water bodies are in “good” or “high” quality (Figures 8 and 9). From the parameter subgroups the nutrient- and oxygen-households (organic) compounds are in the worst status, which certify that the eutrophication is a significant problem in the Hungarian waters still today due to anthropogenic pollution and also to natural conditions. One third of the surface water bodies are in eutrophic status. Although most of the lakes are not eutrophic, but one third of them are potentially eutrophic despite the fact, that the nutrient pollution loads have been significantly decreased during the last decades as a result of different measures.

condition condition status chemical

(organic) status

■ High oGood □ Moderate nPoor a Bad □ No data □ Not qualifed

Figure 8. Status ofphysical-chemical parameters of surface waters (VGT2 2015)

Figure 9. Map of physical-chemical status of surface waters (VGT2, 2015)

85% of the assessed water bodies is in “good” status, while 15% of them is in “failing to achieve good” chemical status. But for approx, half of the surface water bodies there is no water quality information at all because of the weaknesses of monitoring priority substances. These water bodies are appearing in the status assessment as „grey” (unknown quality) water bodies. The not good quality is caused by exceedances of the EU determined environmental quality standards (EQS) of different compounds and elements, mainly in case of anthracene, di- uron, endosulfan, fluoranthene, mercury, cadmium, non- ylphenol (h4-nonylphenol), lead and trichloromethane. Most frequent problem is caused by metals, mainly by mercury and cadmium. The big lakes and the assessed oxbows, saline lakes and drinking water reservoirs are generally in good chemical status.

According to the integrated classification (determined by the worse of ecological and chemical status) the upper sections of small rivers in hilly areas generally have good quality status. The quality of Danube and the Tisza rivers