IMPACTS OF ROAD TRAFFIC ON WATER QUALITY

Abstract

Industrialized countries having a large number of vehicles were suffering even in the 70's because of the undetected and non-point emissions of traffic. Emitted pollutants affected not only the quality of air, but also of surface and ground waters. The relative importance of this impact grew as waste waters had been treated. Detailed studies were carried out to identify the most important contaminants and processes influencing their fate. Hungary is facing a situation like the West was two decades ago: the road traffic causes inadmissible environmental impacts. This issue should be handled simultaneously with point source pollution control having an incomparably lower level than in industrialized countries. This paper deals with the characterization of traffic related pollutants and possibilities to evaluate their impact on the quality of surface water runoff.