New Water Plan to Future-Proof Balaton Region’s Drinking Supply

An €8.2 million project backed by European Union funding to modernize the drinking water supply system for Lake Balaton and its surrounding region is set to wrap up by the end of the year, the Transdanubian Regional Waterworks Ltd/Dunántúli Regionális Vízmű Zrt. (DRV) announced at a recent press conference.

With the planning phase nearly complete, the project is expected to pave the way for securing additional EU funding to implement the new infrastructure.

The aim is to provide a sustainable and cost-effective drinking water supply for the region while also improving water quality,” said Anita Kovács, DRV’s Head of Administration and Communications.

In the view of András Czipri, acting head of DRV’s investment and development department, one of the project’s key challenges is meeting sharply rising demand in the summer tourist season—often many times higher than winter levels.

He also pointed to aging pipeline systems as a serious obstacle to consistent service, noting that without comprehensive upgrades, a stable long-term water supply cannot be guaranteed for the area.

Lake Balaton from above. Photo: European Space Agency

Currently, drinking water in the region is sourced from a combination of karst springs in the Bakony Mountains and surface water from Lake Balaton, which is considered a vulnerable water source. Water quality can vary significantly depending on the source.

Under the new plan, the region would gradually move away from relying on Lake Balaton, shifting instead toward improved karst water sources and filtered river water from the Mura River. The aim is to minimize costly surface water extraction and ensure more reliable, high-quality supply.

Although the water drawn from Balaton meets quality standards, it is far from ideal,” András Czipri noted. He added that DRV’s annual extraction from the lake is less than the volume lost through evaporation during just three hot days in the summer.

Full implementation of the project will require the construction of around 750 kilometers of new pipelines, affecting more than 4,800 properties in the region.

Photo: Pixabay

The design phase concluded in 2024, and the focus for this year is securing the necessary permits and approvals.

The project is part of Hungary’s broader efforts to modernize critical infrastructure and improve environmental sustainability through strategic use of EU funding.

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