Severe water shortages threaten Hungary's Velencei Lake and Romania's Kovászna region

Hungary’s Velencei Lake has lost roughly 20 million m³ of water, with its level falling more than 75 cm below the 140 cm minimum. The drop, driven by years of drought and higher evaporation than rainfall, endangers recreation, tourism, local businesses and the lake’s ecosystem, including reed beds, nesting birds and fish. Experts say restoring the lake will require sustainable water sources such as modernising the Zámolyi and Pátkai reservoirs, improving sediment removal, limiting fishing activities, and possibly drawing water from the Danube, treated wastewater, or karst wells—each option facing legal, environmental and cost challenges.

In Romania’s Kovászna county, the Hydrokov water supplier has warned that intense garden irrigation and private‑pool filling are overloading the drinking‑water network, risking temporary shortages and low pressure. While household use remains stable, a single pool can consume up to 3 800 L, comparable to an individual’s monthly consumption. Authorities urge residents to collect rainwater, use wells, recycle grey‑water, adopt drip irrigation and cover pools to cut evaporation, thereby easing the strain on the supply system.