NNGYK: the quality of natural bathing waters has improved

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 06. 05. 11:31

Based on the data for 2021-2024, 96.5 percent of the certified natural bathing waters in Hungary are good or excellent, the National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy (NNGYK) informed MTI in a statement sent to it on Thursday.

In 2024, 288 natural bathing waters were registered in Hungary. Of these, 193 were rated excellent, 58 good and 4 tolerable. Only 5 beaches were classified as objectionable. The majority of natural bathing areas located next to our lakes, which are also of special importance from a tourism perspective – Lake Balaton, Lake Tisza, and Lake Velence – continue to be classified as excellent.

95 percent of beaches designated on river sections suitable for bathing received a good or excellent rating. An improving trend can also be observed in the case of bathing waters located in the upper reaches of the Danube and Tisza in recent years.

The NNGYK assessed the quality of Hungarian natural bathing waters based on the European Union’s classification system. The classification of beaches was based on a complete four-year data series in accordance with European Union requirements.

The majority of the 28 bathing waters that cannot be classified into water quality categories are new beaches that do not yet have the four-year data series required for classification, but the water quality is constantly monitored by experts regardless.

In the 2024 season, 15 bathing areas were completely newly established, and another 5 reopened after a one- or two-year break. In addition, there were some beaches that were not in operation last year – for example, due to construction work – so these were not classified either.

As explained, the classification of natural bathing water is based on the number of bacteria originating from sewage, based on at least 16 results from four years. The assessment also takes into account fluctuations in water quality, so it can be determined how great the risk of pollution is: in bathing waters of excellent or good quality, the fluctuations in water quality are very low, in those that are criticized, fluctuations in water quality are too frequent for safe bathing, although the quality of the bathing water is not consistently bad there either.

It was also pointed out that bathing is only safe in designated bathing areas. There are locations where the conditions are given, but the owner of the area has not designated them, and the necessary water tests are not carried out.