Water providers gearing up for heat wave

Demand for drinking water has grown significantly, and water providers are gearing up to ensure constant availability, the Ministry of Technology and Industry (TIM) said on Sunday.

Tourist places and urban areas where the number of properties have grown exponentially in recent years are particularly challenging spots when it comes to water supply, the ministry wrote on Facebook. Around Lake Balaton, on an average summer day, the amount of water used comes to 90,000 cubic meters, and during a heat wave this can rise to 130,000 cubic meters per day, it said.

Water reservoirs have adequate reserves for now, but in the case of extreme weather, water can be supplied by tankers or bagged water will be delivered to households.

Read also: Water supply restored in localities west of Budapest

Tap water, the ministry noted, is one of the most regularly monitored products in Hungary, and it called on the public to drink tap water rather than bottled drinks.

The ministry called on residents not to run the tap to get cold water but to fill containers and place these in the fridge. Otherwise, rainwater or well water should be used for watering gardens if possible, it added.