The protection of thermal- and medicinal waters, the environmental risks of their production

When introducing the beneficial effects of thermal- and medicinal waters, the environemntal risks of their production are rarely mentioned. 

The subterranean water base is endangered by many risks: pollution, overproduction and exhaustion of resources, unprofessional drilling and operational problems.  (OES 2007).

Overproduction of thermal waters may reduce the quantity of water resources which form a unified hydraulical system. Unfortunately it is quite obvious that the production in several places exceeds the quantity that would be desirable from the point of view of sustainability. (Szűcs P. 2012). In addition, the excess water that remains on the surface and the used thermal water, due to its high temperature and considerable salt and organic material content, increase the level of pollution of underground and ground waters and of the soil, thus endanger the delicate balance of the natural ecosystem. High salt content is extremely dangerous if thermal water, mixed with plain water is used for irrigation. It leads to salinification. The best way to store used thermal waters is by storing them in special closed tanks and then by pumping them back to their sources.  

For further details see:

(http://www.kvvm.hu/szakmai/karmentes/kiadvanyok/fav/tvkm/tvkm01.htm)

Also(!):

http://www.kvvm.hu/szakmai/karmentes/kiadvanyok/fav/tvkm/tvkm05.htm

The protection of our underground waters should take priority over local economic interests.    Due to the previously described hydogeological reasons the overproduction in Hungary’s thermal water systems may unfavourably effect the quality of Hungary’s mineral and thermal waters. On the other hand it provokes undesirable changes in the uppermost layers of the ground, which produce our drinking water. (Szűcs P. 2012).