Planet expo – Pál Réthy: treated wastewater can be a key element in water management

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The deputy state secretary recalled that in 2022, Hungary had to face an unprecedented drought, but wastewater could be a solution to the problem. This stock can be available in large quantities even in the case of the greatest water shortage and drought, and after cleaning, “it can become a key product from a side product,” he explained. He added: Amendments to the European directive on municipal wastewater treatment are already being prepared in Brussels, which formulates proposals with a target date of 2040, and which “can open up new horizons” in the management of water shortages, for example. “Due to the seemingly unstoppable urbanization processes, it is necessary to prepare for a consequence in water management, the management of which requires a different attitude and methods than before,” emphasized Pál Réthy. He emphasized: due to the growing demand for water in cities and climate change, water is of strategic importance and its importance is growing drastically. He also touched on the fact that in the current crisis situation, the self-sufficiency of the states is increasingly valued and prioritized in order to ensure uninterrupted food supply. The Russian-Ukrainian war worldwide disrupted the previously established supply chains and contributed to the price increases experienced in recent months, he pointed out. He noted: the The conflict has an impact on domestic agriculture as well, because the food crisis must be overcome, ensuring that the Hungarian population has access to food at appropriate prices.

Károly Kovács, the president of MaSzeSz, said that the primary area of focus of the association is municipal water management, but they also deal with the possibilities of using purified wastewater, and their activities cannot be sharply separated from agricultural water management, whose actors are dependent on each other.

He added: they compete with agricultural users for the scarce, in many cases polluted, water resources, but continuous cooperation between specialists dealing with settlement and agricultural water management is of particular importance. The expo and experience program, which can be visited free of charge, awaits those interested in the Hungexpo area until October 1.

MTI