System Approaches for the Analysis of Water Quality Management of the Sio, Kapos, Veszpremi-Sed, Malom, Nador, and Gaja River System (Hungary)

The current challenge for water quality management in Central Europe and Eastern Europe is to identify feasible and cost-effective strategies for achieving sustainable progress towards improved water quality. This goal is set against a background of existing water quality standards which are strong but difficult to enforce, the changing role of the public sector after the fall of central planning, limited financial resources and the uncertainty and weak economic conditions of the transition. Within this context, successful water quality management requires strategies that are: (a) administratively enforceable; (b) strengthen and stabilize water quality management institutions; (c) financially feasible; (d) promote economic efficiency; and (e) fairly distribute costs over responsible parties. The Sio, Kapos, Veszpremi-Sed, Malom, Nador and Gaja River System epitomizes this need and confronts nearly all of the serious water management problems now facing Hungary. It is the home to the majority of Hungary's chemical industries receiving high wastewater loads from both industrial and municipal sources. The government seeks to clean up the river system, especially the Veszpremi-Sed River and Malom and Nador Channels, but is concerned about the costs of the chemical industry and the economically stressed municipalities and their customers. Local water and environmental authorities face the controversial challenge of satisfying the various demands on the system while taking into account constraints on both quality and supply. In this microcosm of Hungary and Central and Eastern Europe a water quality modeling and management tool developed by IIASA's Water Resources Project will be applied to help identify effective water quality management alternatives. This introductory Working Paper describes the nature of the water quality management problem, the policy setting and the management strategies which will be assessed