Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI).
Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI).
City leaders argue that the current model is unsustainable because water prices were frozen in 2013, leaving utilities unable to fund necessary upgrades, even though Budapest loses 10–12% of its water through network leakage.
The capital wants municipalities to regain the authority to set water fees locally, in line with the principle that the entity responsible for service delivery should also control pricing.
Officials stress that the reform would not dismantle the national utility‑price reduction scheme and would expand existing support programs to protect vulnerable households.
An average Budapest household currently pays about HUF 1,900 per month for water, and the proposed change would raise bills by only a few hundred fori nts.
In Budapest, a cubic meter of water costs just HUF 219, far below prices in Warsaw, Bratislava, Vienna, or Prague. City leaders say the debate ultimately concerns whether policymakers are willing to confront the realities of climate change and long‑term water security.
Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For over 30 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.
