Expensive toilets in Keszthely: They pooped in Balaton, beach closed 🚫

At Keszthely’s free beaches along the Balaton shore, deteriorating water quality is now causing serious headaches: the Helikon strand was immediately closed by the public health department of the Zala county government office due to human-origin bacteria. Although the water is excellent at the Városí and Libás strands, the three locations lie next to each other, so the news quickly spread among vacationers.

Measurements showed Enterococcus bacteria at 720 MPN/100 ml, exceeding the 500 threshold requiring immediate action. For E. coli, 1382 MPN/100 ml was recorded, approaching the 1500 intervention level. Swimming has thus become temporarily impossible in this section, which also affects tourism on the Keszthely shoreline during peak season.

Local reports suggest many attribute the issue to the paid toilets: a single use costs 400 forints, while a daily pass is 2000 forints. Those who find this expensive choose the Balaton water as a toilet, directly worsening water quality. The problem is not new in the western basin of Balaton, where the popularity of free strands often outstrips the hygiene infrastructure during summer crowds.

The closure increases crowding at nearby strands in the short term and may also damage Keszthely’s tourism image in the longer term. The local municipality must urgently find a solution, otherwise visitors will head to other Balaton towns. 🌊🚫

Source: 444.hu