Press release regarding the water quality of the Nyíregyháza Lake Bath on 2024.05.30

Dear Media Representatives! In recent days, several news portals have published articles regarding the water quality of natural bathing waters in Hungary, based on the evaluation by the National Public Health and Pharmaceutical Center (NNGYK). As a result of this evaluation, six bathing sites, including the Nyíregyháza Tófürdő, were classified as being in the "not recommended" category. According to standard practice, designated authoritative laboratories collect water samples from all natural bathing waters before the start of the season and at least once a month during the season, evaluating the results each time. If there are deviations from the limits, necessary measures are implemented. However, the classification concerning the water quality of natural bathing waters is issued by the authority not based on these occasional inspections but after the pre-season inspection, evaluating the results of the preceding four years using a mathematical formula. This formula takes into account the average of the results, which can be significantly affected by an exceptionally high value measured sporadically. In practice, this means that a bathing site's water quality can be temporarily rated as excellent and perfectly suitable for bathing, yet it might still fall into the "not recommended" category. Based on the latest examination conducted on May 9, 2024, the authorities raised no objections regarding the water quality of the Nyíregyháza Tófürdő, thus it is perfectly suitable for bathing! At the Nyíregyháza Tófürdő, a total of 53 water samples were taken between June 10, 2014, and May 9, 2024, during which only 4 instances showed a deviation from the allowable upper limit (330 CFU/100 ml) concerning enterococcus counts. There were no deviations in a positive direction from the permissible limits for other values! In the remaining 49 instances, the enterococcus counts were significantly below the allowable limit, indicating that the water quality of the Nyíregyháza Tófürdő has been practically excellent over the past 10 years. Nevertheless, the retrospective averaging over four years significantly tarnishes this picture due to some occasional high values. What can cause variations in the water quality of a natural bathing site? As implied by its name, the Tófürdő is a natural bathing site, a lake in our case, with no outflow, meaning it is a body of stagnant water. The lake houses a natural ecosystem with fish, ducks, mussels, algae, etc., whose biological processes affect the water quality. In addition, bathers contribute to water pollution through sunscreens and creams brought on their bodies, and fishing activity is also present, involving the addition of bait and other materials into the lake. All these factors, collectively or individually, can result in significant variations in water quality, which typically resolve themselves naturally over time. For example, a significant rainfall could suffice to increase the water and dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Interestingly, the two most significant deviations were recorded by experts towards the end of the 2021 bathing season, on August 30 and September 7, with samples taken farther from the characteristic bathing areas, along the shore. The unusual values might have been caused by the decomposition of a fish that had died in the reeds; no extraordinary pollution was noted before, nor has there been since, and no unusual values were measured during the active bathing season, nor were special measures implemented! Following the September 7, 2021 result, our Company initiated a new water sampling on September 8, 2021, with the sample taken at a different point in the lake, farther from the shore, in an area typically used by bathers, where the enterococcus count was <15 CFU/100 ml! The National Public Health and Pharmaceutical Center also evaluates bathing sites on additional aspects during each inspection, such as water color, particulate pollution assessment, the need for further samples for other investigations, and the cleanliness of the shores associated with the bathing water. Based on these criteria, the authorities have consistently found the Tófürdő satisfactory, and there has been not a single case of any bather contracting any illness from our bath! Our Company places a great emphasis on ensuring the excellent quality of the bathing waters we operate, as it is of fundamental value and interest to us. Therefore, it is particularly unfortunate that such a news item could significantly damage the perception of our Company and bath, and that some may exploit this for political gain without seeking our input on the news. Despite all this, to maximally guarantee bathers' safety and keep them informed, our Company will carry out weekly water sampling at the Tófürdő in the 2024 season, involving an accredited laboratory, and publish the results on our website and at the bath entrance each time. Nyíregyháza, May 30, 2024. Sincerely, Sóstó - Gyógyfürdők Ltd.