Antecedents of the Project

For the first time the document called “The sewage discharge and treatment programme of the capital” prepared in 1974 proposed to establish four sewage plants in Budapest, and to establish one of these–namely the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant of Budapest (CWTP)–in the northern part of Csepel Island. According to the document, the CWTP shall treat the wastewater of 350,000m 3/d of its collection area, which is approximately 50% of the total volume of wastewater in Budapest .

Several decision-preparation and impact studies discussed the optimal location of the plant and adequate technology recently. Some of them are listed below:

  • Analysis opportunities for the location of sewage plants in Budapest (1991)
  • Complex long-term task plan of the sewerage and wastewater treatment of the capital (1993)
  • Concept of the first phase of wastewater treatment plant investments in the capital (1994)
  • Complex analysis of the location of the CWTP (1995)
  • Preliminary environmental impact analysis (1997)
  • Detailed environmental impact analysis (1998)
  • Investment concept of activated sludge and fix bed wastewater treatment technologies (1999)

Both the investment concept and the professional programme determined by the government decree had to be prepared in the preparatory phase.

The implementation of the programme was prepared by the following documents:

  • Study on the technology chosen by the Municipality of Budapest
  • Environmental impact analysis (existing)
  • Assessment study of different technologies (2000.)
  • Technical and financial feasibility study (2000.)
  • Principal water right permit for the activated sludge wastewater treatment technology, supplemented by partly or fully covering the structures (2000.)

The CWTP is going to be the wastewater treatment plan with the highest capacity in Hungary .

As the investment is implemented by EU support, the planning and implementation will be in compliance with EU rules. Consequently, like other projects supported by the Cohesion Fund, the Cohesion Fund Intermediate Body (Development Directorate of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Water Management) and the Managing Authority (National Development Office) assist and organise the connection between the Client (Municipality of Budapest) and the supporter (European Union), and a project management company satisfying European requirements ( Enviroduna Kft.) manage works during the whole investment.

Service providers, and planning and implementation companies are selected by means of public procurement procedure; the investment is implemented in compliance with European and Hungarian laws and regulations.

The first phase of the project started in September 2002, when the Municipality of Budapest concluded a contract with the consortium led by the Swedish SWECO to prepare the technical preparatory documentation of the project. According to the agreement, the planning team assessed the appropriate biological wastewater treatment technologies and sludge treatment in a feasibility study, compiled the detailed and updated environmental impact analyses and financial and technical schedules, and cooperated in the preparation of the assistance documentation approved by the European Commission.

The investment includes not only the planning and implementation of the CWTP but also the construction and extension of related establishments, such as the main collector system of the left bank of the Danube, the Ferencváros pump station and river crossing, the Kelenföld pump station and river crossing, the construction of the pressure pipes of the Albertfalva pump station and the planning and construction of the Cséry composting plant.

The size of the project is indicated by the fact that the capacity of the plant is going to exceed the aggregated capacity of all currently operating and upgraded wastewater treatment plants. The proportion of biologically treated wastewater in Budapest will triple and will be increased to 92% by the treatment of 350 000m 3 wastewater daily.

The General Assembly of Budapest approved the contract of the “ Budapest Central Municipal Wastewater Treatment Works And Collector Systems ” investment on 16 December 1999 . The investor is the Office of the Mayor and investment tasks are performed by the Public Utility Department.

The investment costs approximately 180 billion HUF, and it is co-financed by the European Union, the central budget of Hungary and the Municipality of Budapest .