Over the coming years, drinking water networks may be renewed through a 51 billion forint development programme aimed at reducing water loss, László Gajdos announced on his social media page on Monday. The minister responsible for the living environment justified the tender by pointing out that several hundred thousand cubic metres of drinking water are lost every day in Hungary due to ageing water networks. These investments will not only reduce water loss, but will also make the drinking water supply safer and more predictable, he added. Protecting the living environment is not only about preserving natural values, but also about responsibly managing one of the most important natural resources: clean drinking water. Renovating water networks is a less visible investment than a new road or a new building, yet these are the developments that will determine the safe functioning of settlements and the quality of everyday life for decades to come, he said.