Seven professional organisations from across Hungary’s water sector have set out eight common principles for the future of Hungarian water management. Their joint statement provides a shared professional foundation for addressing climate change, renewing infrastructure and managing water resources sustainably.
Dated 8th of October 2026, the document brings together professional communities with different responsibilities and areas of expertise around a common objective: the long-term renewal of Hungarian water management through closer cooperation.
Among the participating organisations is the Hungarian Water Association (MaSzeSz), a cooperation partner of the Hungarian Water Partnership (HWP). We are sharing the initiative to bring these joint professional priorities to the attention of our members and international partners.
An integrated approach to water management
The statement calls for water resources, infrastructure and water demand to be considered together. Protecting the quantity and quality of available water, retaining it within landscapes and settlements, and meeting the needs of communities, the economy and the natural environment are presented as interconnected responsibilities.
Its priorities include predictable programmes for renewing ageing water utility infrastructure, stronger connections between regional and municipal water management systems, and greater use of rainwater, water reuse and natural water retention solutions.
The document also addresses the conditions needed to support these changes: reliable data, equitable and predictable financing, responsible water use, stronger research and education, and technical standards that reflect changing hydrological conditions. Its detailed discussion includes tariff and funding options proposed for consideration.
A basis for continued professional dialogue
The eight principles provide a framework for developing more detailed proposals within individual areas of expertise. The participating organisations express their readiness to engage in continuous, constructive dialogue with policymakers and support the preparation of decisions shaping Hungary’s water future.
The seven participating bodies, as named in the English statement, are:
Hungarian Hydrological Society
Water Management and Hydraulic Engineering Section of the Chamber of Hungarian Engineers
Hungarian Water Utility Association
Hungarian Water Association (MaSzeSz)
Global Water Partnership Hungary Foundation
National Representation of Water Management Associations
Subcommittee on Water Supply and Sewerage of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
The eight common minimum principles
The eight principle statements below are reproduced from the English document. The full statement contains the accompanying explanations and proposals.
Water resources must be made more resilient, and water demand must be adapted to the impacts of climate change.
Ageing water utility infrastructure must be renewed.
Separate systems must be interconnected so that they can support one another.
Water must be collected and stored more effectively across landscapes and in settlements.
Wherever possible, water should be reused.
Water is valuable: water resources and water use must be measured, understood and communicated.
Water users must be educated and encouraged to use water and natural resources responsibly.
The professional foundations of water management must be strengthened by developing the scientific knowledge base and reviewing technical requirements and standards.
Download the full statement in English click here.