In 2017 MOL Plc and MOL Petrochemicals have started building a 2.4 km long groundwater purification system near Tiszapalkonya. The goal of the companies is to completely eliminate industrial contaminants of the predecessors from the groundwater in the affected areas.

The groundwater protection system consists seventy water extraction wells and an associated plumbing network. The extraction of groundwater can prevent the spread of contamination and start the purification of groundwater.

The construction was preceded by nearly two years of preparation, the most critical stages of which were the planning and the licensing of several owners on the outskirts.

During the process, MOL and MPK organized several residential forums in co-operation with the Municipality, where all interested parties were answered. Open, frank communication was successful, the operation of the groundwater purification system is still highly supported and residents are regularly informed about the water quality of their property and indirectly about the effectiveness of water protection. The water management license for the remediation system is expected to be issued in 2019.

The main results are the effective protection of the groundwater, the management of the risk of industrial pollution and the further utilization of the extracted groundwater.

The effects of the solution are well quantifiable; the quantity and quality of the water used in the operation is controlled, and the water used is impermeable and stable at low temperatures, so its preparation and pre-treatment requires less effort.

The success of the solution will provide an incentive to investigate remediation water utilization options at additional locations and with additional solutions.