Government prepares strict regulations for water wells in Hungary

The government has released a new draft decree for public consultation that would impose stricter conditions on the use of underground water in designated special water management zones in eastern Hungary. The proposal aims to protect drinking water supplies and ensure the sustainable management of water resources by

imposing significant monitoring and licensing obligations on all users other than households.

These measures are particularly timely given that Hungary is currently experiencing a severe drought, particularly in eastern Hungary, where the situation in the Great Plains is critical. According to data from HungaroMet, rainfall in June barely reached 5 mm in several areas, with a 90-day precipitation deficit ranging between 50 and 120 mm.

Although the north-western part of the country is in somewhat better condition, the soil moisture content in the central and eastern regions remains below levels usable by plants.

The drought situation threatens agriculture and highlights the urgent need for water management reform, a topic also addressed by the government's new draft regulation.

Some elements of the draft regulation would introduce new operating restrictions for agricultural, industrial and municipal operators who wish to drill wells or continue using water in the listed areas.

The designated zones cover

• the northern and eastern parts of the Trans-Tisza region, including the valleys of Kraszna, Szamos, and Lónyay main channels, and
• parts of Nyírség, the Szatmár and Bereg plains, and the Bodrogköz area - all under the jurisdiction of FETIVIZIG, TIVIZIG, or ÉMVIZIG water authorities.

According to the proposal, all non-household water extraction facilities must operate using certified continuous-measurement and digital well water meters. Before new wells are established, a monitoring system comprising at least three properly filtered observation wells would need to be set up.

Before the well is drilled, plans for the monitoring system must be submitted to the relevant county government office, which acts as the water management and protection authority.

The draft would restrict who can establish drinking water wells in protected aquifer layers: only public utility providers or organizations authorized for community supply would be permitted.

This would exclude private entities or smaller institutions from establishing their own drinking water wells in the designated areas.

The proposal would limit authorised water usage to a maximum of 40,000 cubic meters annually per permit, which could pose significant constraints for certain intensive irrigation practices.

The new regulation is expected to present challenges for water users in eastern Hungary, particularly in agriculture, where irrigation wells are crucial for maintaining crop security.

Although the mandatory monitoring systems, data collection requirements and stricter licensing framework are intended to encourage more responsible water resource management, the associated burdens and costs will be passed on to economic operators.