SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation - 2.1. Water reuse policy - Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation - 2.1. Water reuse policy
Last modified: 24. November 2025
2. WATER REUSE
Use of rainfall
MATE's Centre for Circular Economy Analysis highlights the pressing need for urban rainwater‑use strategies in the face of climate change, warning that most cities still follow a “pipe‑end” mindset—quickly draining rainwater instead of capturing it. They argue that to unlock the full potential of rainwater, more systematic planning, better data, and a coherent strategy that weighs both the benefits and the risks are needed. While rainwater is already used in households for garden irrigation, toilet flushing, and sometimes even washing, its broader adoption in cities is still limited due to concerns about quality and volume. The Centre calls for innovation, including low‑energy water treatment, new collection surfaces, and storage systems that can make urban rainwater reuse more sustainable and widely feasible.
Research on the potential use of compost leachate
In addition, the Centre for Circular Economy Analysis is conducting research on the recovery and potential reuse of leachate produced during composting processes. This work focuses on evaluating the water content and nutrient load of the liquid that drains from compost piles and exploring methods to treat and repurpose it in a sustainable manner. The research, initiated as part of a KEHOP-funded project, aims to integrate circular economy principles into organic waste management, reducing environmental impact while recovering valuable resources for agricultural or other applications.
https://palyazatok.uni-mate.hu/en/kehop-3.2.1-15-2021-00037
2.1. Water reuse policy
The university operates at numerous locations across the country, each served by different local water providers, so campuses currently follow their own internal regulations for water use and management. A unified MATE policy to maximise water reuse across all sites is under development.
Recovery of waste water at the Kaposvár Campus
Only legally compliant wastewater, sewage sludge and sewage sludge compost may be used on agricultural land. This means that the Kaposvár Campus cannot use its own wastewater, but can use the material from the municipal wastewater treatment plant for soil improvement. The agricultural use of wastewater, sewage sludge and sewage sludge compost is authorised by the soil protection authority for a maximum period of 5 years.
- Sewage sludge may not be stored on land. Only the quantity of sewage sludge that can be used and processed immediately may be transported to the agricultural area designated for use.
- The sewage sludge shall be applied below the surface of the soil or, in the case of surface application, shall be worked immediately after siltation. The sewage sludge compost shall be applied immediately after surface application.
- The use of sewage, sewage sludge shall be prohibited for the cultivation of vegetable crops and fruit in contact with the soil and in the preceding year. For other crops it may be used outside the growing season or between harvest and the next sowing.
(In: Environmental Instructions - Környezetvédelmi Utasítás, Kaposvári Campus, p. 15)