A rude awakening

At the request of the Dabas and Surrounding Area Waterworks (DAKÖV), the Budapest Waterworks (FVM) is supporting the water supply of the town of Pilis in Pest County, which is struggling with serious drinking water problems. A total of 20 m3 of water was transported to Pilis in four water tanks after the capital’s government office ordered a ban on the consumption of tap water on Tuesday.

Until the critical situation is resolved, two tankers will remain on site so that DAKÖV can replace the water at the temporary water extraction points in the affected areas more efficiently. DAKÖV informed the mayor of Pilis about the supply problem in writing on Monday. Attila László published the letter on the city’s website. According to the letter, the company had received a report on 17 January that larvae had appeared in the filter of the internal drinking water network of a residential building in Gárdonyi utca. DAKÖV investigated and confirmed the contamination. On the same day, a flushing of the pipes in the drinking water network in and around the street was ordered. The chlorine dosage has been increased since 18 January. Further flushing followed on the following days, affecting the entire city area. On Tuesday, a specialised company began disinfecting and assessing the condition of the 100 m3 storage tanks in the area of the waterworks.

By flushing the pipes, the organisms only disappear from the internal system within a property if the residents remove the filters there and clean them thoroughly. DAKÖV automatically reimburses consumers for the additional costs. For private users, the company waives 25% of the drinking water bill for January; for commercial users, the credit is based on an individual calculation.