UNIVERSITY OF MISKOLC

FACULTY OF EARTH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HYDROGEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
WATERMINING

SECOND FIELD TRIP REPORT

No. NAMES: Neptun ID

1. Ameur Ben Djeddou NJ53RU
2. Arif Rahmansyah Darana GGEN13
3. Bence Ádám Braun PJFMFM
4. Christian Orlando Camacho Lopez W7TZMB
5. Daniella Zsuzsanna Micsinai SY0CA4
6. István Veres TG5GAY
7. Maria Camila Segura Castillo MKLVQ0
8. Máriá Molnár G1VC5B
9. Mónika Kajtár C4KUXR
10. Szabolcs Demián VRNPIU
11. Valerie Angela Jebiwot Amukoe Wendo WWI2U9
12. Yetzabel Gerarda Flores Carpio NVKFY7

Miskolc. 2018.10.29
INTRODUCTION

As a soon to be Hydrogeologist, understanding water works is crucial this includes water mining and waste
water management. In order to get the comprehensive knowledge needed, real field experience is a basic
requirement. To achieve this objective field trips are but one way of introducing this to students.

This field trip was held on Monday 29th of October 2018. The destinations were:

1. Waste water treatment plant:

 MIVÍZ Borsod szennyvíztisztító telep

In this site the students learned about the process of treating and purifying the waste water from the
nearby settlements until the final product is released back to the environment, in this case the river.

2. Water mining site:

 Tavi and Szent György-springs
 Szinva-Group Springs: Upper-Szinva and Main-Szinva Spring
 Anna Cave

In these sites, the students learned about the source of Miskolc’s water supply and how they manage
the spring, the mining process, and the characteristics of these sources.

3. Thermal Water Utilization Site

 Selyemrét

The thermal bath is a perfect example of how the city utilizes geothermal energy, what was learnt is the
unique characteristics of heat flow and features of the geothermal site.

The detail of those sites are explained below

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1. WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT

The municipal wastewater treatment plant MIVIZ Borsod is located in the southeastern part of the city of
Miskolc, between the outskirts of Fonoda and Szirma streets. Its total capacity is about 70000 cubic meters
per day, however its current wastewater incoming flow is only between 40000 and 45000 𝑚3 /𝑑𝑎𝑦.

The treatment plant processes the municipal wastewater of Miskolc and the surrounding villages of
Felsozsolca, Alsózslca, Nyékládháza, Mályi, Kistokaj, Szirmabesenyó, Bükkszentkereszt and Arnót. The
installation can cover 200.000 inhabitants, industry and other institutional facilities, which a total collecting
length of about 600 km.

Originally the sewage treatment plant was built in 1913 with a biological capacity of 8000m3/day able to
treat the sewage of 360 buildings. However, the place was bombed in 1944 due to World War II, leaving
the city without any wastewater treatment until 1972.

After this time the sewage treatment plant was rebuilt through many steps, according to necessities of the
city and its surroundings. Initially, a main drainage channel of 1.70 m diameter was constructed together
with the mechanical pre-treatment processes such as screening, grit chamber, conveying house, dividing
tower and operation building. From 1984 there was an evolution of its treatment processes. First a
mechanical cleaning process was built through sedimentation tanks. Then, a biological treatment process
was implemented in 1994. Finally, drying sludge process was implemented in 1999. All the processes of
this sewage treatment plant can be visualized in the Figure 1, also the real installation can be seen in the
Figure 2.

Figure 1 Schematic model of treatment processes in MIVIZ Borsod

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 Figure 2. Satellite image of the Wastewater Treatment Plant

In 2011 when Hungary became a member of the European Union the country had to review the technology
in place so as to meet the requirements stated under the European Union Directives and the Environmental
Protection Ordinance, which established the removal of the nutrients of sewage treatment and sludge
treatment. Thus the threshold values of some pollutants had to be changed, as is shown in the Table 1.

To achieve this new challenge, the wastewater treatment plant implemented two recirculation processes the
first one between the aerobic and anaerobic biological processes. And the other one, between the second
sedimentation tank and the biological treatment process. These adjustments resulted in the decrease of
nitrogen and phosphorus concentration to fulfil their respective threshold limits. This change took 21
months to be achieved this included the restructuring of the plant with a cost of 2.2 billion forints.

Table 1 - Change in threshold values of phosphorus and nitrogen parameters.

Before EU Directive 2011 After EU Directive 2011

Parameter
[mg/L] [mg/L]
Phosphorous 10 1
Nitrogen 50 10

The wastewater treatment plant has the following processes and treatment types:

Pre-treatment and primary treatment (mechanical processes)

 Screening
 Grit chamber
 Pre-sedimentation tanks

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Biological treatment (Secondary treatment)

 Anaerobic treatment units

 Aerobic digestion tanks

Tertiary treatment

 Secondary sedimentation tanks (Clarifiers)

 Activated sludge treatment (Digester)
 Biogas production

Treatment process

The plant has a total capacity of 70000 m3 per day. The incoming wastewater can enter to the system via a
sewage pipe of 1.7 m diameter or through sewage trucks for settlements without connection to the sewage
system. The inlet of wastewater to the system can be seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3 - Wastewater inlet channel to the system

The wastewater treatment starts with a screening process, which removes coarse materials objects such as
rags, paper, plastics and metals to prevent damage and clogging of downstream equipment and piping, as
can be seen in the Figure 4.

Figure 4. Screening process (Primary treatment)

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As the wastewater flows through a grit chamber. It removes sand, gravel, or other heavy solids that have
subsiding velocities or specific gravities substantially greater than those of the organic solids in wastewater.
Its process can be visualized in the Figure 5.

Figure 5. Grit chamber (Primary treatment)

Later, the wastewater goes through pre-sedimentation tanks with an approximate retention time of 2 hours
to accomplish that the suspended particles are settled out and eliminated.

As the wastewater goes through the biological process for the treatment of organic compounds, it takes
about 4 hours, with total capacity of 45000 m3 per day. First, in the anaerobic units the microorganisms
break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.

Figure 6 - Anaerobic degradation process (Biological treatment)

After, in the aerobic units the microorganisms convert the organic material to carbon dioxide. Also, after
this process the amount of oxygen demand in the system reduces as well as the total number of bacteria.
Both processes can be seen in the Figure 6 and Figure 7. Also, there is an extra biological unit, which can
change to aerobic or anaerobic conditions according to the needs of the system.

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 Figure 7 - Aerobic degradation process (Biological treatment)

In secondary treatment the wastewater flows into sedimentation tanks for around 2 hours to settle out the
biological material. The sludges produced in this stage are recirculated into the system or driven out to the
system for its digestion to biogas production. A sedimentation tank of this treatment stage can be seen in
Figure 8.

Figure 8 - Sedimentation tank (Second sedimentation process)

Finally, the treated water which fulfils the stipulated government quality requirements is discharged into
the river. Usually the treated water has better quality than the water source. The company must pay fees
based on the concentration of the pollutants.

A few years ago, the wastewater treatment plant implemented the digestion process of sludge, which
allowed the generation of biogas, and through it, the necessary energy to the treatment processes of the
plant and heat the bioreactors to 37.5⁰C.

The infrastructure used in the biogas production can be seen in the following Figure 9. It should be noted
that over winter the water in the treatment ponds does not freeze because the temperature is always above
10⁰C

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 Figure 9 - Biogas production plant

2. WATER MINING SITE

a) Tavi and Szent György-springs

Tavi and Szent György-springs are located in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County (Figure 10), 200-250 m from
Castle of Diósgyőr. The two springs are located approximately 450 m from each other. Tavi spring is one
of the largest sources of water supply for Miskolc.

Figure 10 - Location of Tavi and Szent György-springs (source: Google Map)

Collection chamber of Tavi spring can be seen in Figure 11.

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 Figure 11 - Collection chamber of Tavi spring

Source of the Tavi and Szent György karstic springs is from the Eastern, North-Eastern part of the Bükk
Mountain, from triassic Fehérkői Limestone Formation. The water rises up through the cave and fault
system (Figure 12). Average temperatures of Tavi spring is around 20°C, while Szent György-spring is
25°C.

Figure 12 - Geological background of Tavi and Szent György-springs

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Figure 13 - Cross section view of Tavi spring and its well shafts (operating well shaft is on the right side)

Tavi spring is captured by two well shafts, but at present only one is operational. The well shafts were built
into a natural cave system (Figure 13). The water discharge is situated below the first well shaft cave system.

Figure 14 - Technical drawing of Tavi spring water supply system (numbers are showing the different
parts)

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Parts of the water supply system of Tavi spring can be seen in Figure 14 which are the following:

1. In the water collecting chamber (Figure 11), operating well shaft and pumps can be found.
2. In the operating well shaft (Figure 15), three pumps were installed from which two operates and
the third one is the reserve. Smaller section of the production pipes (Figure 16) are in the water
collecting chamber, while greater section can be found in the maintenance room.
3. In the maintenance room, three production pipes, main pipe and connected gate valves can be found.
Two kind of gate valves (electrical and mechanical) support the operation of the pipes (Figure 17).
Two pipes are 300 mm diameter large and one is 250 mm diameter. Each pump has a flow meter
which use ultrasonic technology. On the pipes, rubber rings can be found, which save the pipes
from vibration. Monitoring system is also can be found in maintenance room (Figure 18). The
monitoring system continuously measures the conductivity, temperature, pH and turbidity.
Sampling valves are connected to each production pipes. The three production pipes connect to the
main production pipe which is 600 mm diameter large.
4. Smaller section of the production pipe of Szent György-spring (150 mm diameter) is located in the
maintenance room and connects to the 600 mm diameter main pipe.
5. Chlorination device (Figure 20) is used to reach the good quality of the water. From 2011, MIVÍZ
Waterworks is using UV disinfection system before chlorination.

Water demand of Miskolc is 38000 - 40000 m3/day and Tavi spring can supply 8000 - 10000 m3/day of
water.

Figure 15 - Well shaft of Tavi spring Figure 16 - Three production pipes

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 Figure 17 - Gate valves and production pipes in maintenance room (production pipe of Szent György-
spring is connected to the main production pipe on the left side of the picture)

Figure 18 - Monitoring system in maintenance room

Figure 19 - UV disinfection system Figure 20 - Chlorination device

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Szent György-spring can supply 1000-1200 m3/day amount of water. Production pipe of Szent György-
spring goes to the maintenance room of Tavi spring and connects to the main production pipe.

Figure 21 - Szent György-spring Figure 22 - Production pipe of Szent György-spring

b) The Szinva Spring-group

The Szinva Spring-group is one of the most important gravitational spring in Miskolc and surroundings.
There are two springs in this group. First is the Upper-Szinva Spring, second is the Lower-Szinva Spring.

Figure 23 - Map from the location of springs and machine room 1 - Maintenance room 2 -Lower-Szinva
Spring 3 - Upper-Szinva Spring

This two spring is located not far from each other along the Eger road, near to Lillafüred. The waterworks
system include the two springs and maintenance room.

i. Upper-Szinva Spring

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 This spring was captured in 1971. This is a 60 m long drift with drifting in meta-basalt. Its main recharging
comes from Felsőtárkányi limestone. The elevation of this spring is ~390 mBf. This spring is a gravitational
spring and can supply approximately 500 m3/day.

Figure 24 - Upper Szinva Spring (Left: The entrance of the cave, Right: Inside the cave, the water table of
the cave)

ii. The Lower-Szinva Spring

Figure 25 - The Lower-Szinva Spring

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Its main recharge source comes from Bükkfennsíki Limestone. Generally the maximum yield of this spring
is approximately 20 000 m3/day. Unfortunately, this spring is very vulnerable, there are several times this
capacity is non useable leading to it not being used for the drinking water system. For MIVIZ Ltd, the
halting of this spring is costly because the drinking water has to be met. This can only be achieved if
another spring is used. There are also times a pump has to be used instead of it being gravitational based.

Figure 26 - The way of water from Upper-Szinva Spring to the water supply system

The water of Upper-Szinva Spring is quided with Ø200 mm pipe to the so-called winged shaft of Lower-
Szinva Spring. From this shaft the water of two springs is quided through the watertight tunnel. In the first
part of this tunnel the water freely flowing, while in the second part of this tunnel the water flows through
3 pipes with diameters of 600 mm, 250 mm and 200 mm. At the exit of tunnel, hypochlorite is put into the
pipes with diameter of 200 mm and 600 mm. The water within the pipe is introduced into a machine room
where UV treatment is done and afterwards (because UV takes away the hypochlorite) we put chlorine into
the water. Water is then introduced into the drinking water pipe system, and finally reaching the consumer
From the pipe with Ø200 mm the outflow into the Szinva-creek is known as the ecological water which is
appoximately 1500 m3/day.

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e

Figure 27 - Top left: The 2. part of watertight tunnel with 3 pipes and hypo barrels; Top Right: The exit of
the watertight tunnel ; and Bottom: The winged shaft

c) Anna – Cave

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After the Upper-Szinva-spring we traveled to the next station, which was the Anna-cave.

Figure 28 - The entrance of Anna cave.

This cave is located under the Hámori-lake and this fact is essential in point of view of water mining. In the
cave there are three different springs, but two of them are non-operational. The reason is the excavation of
the silt from the front of the Hámori-lake.

The basic idea was the excavation work can give some help for water supply by better permeability in case
of the bottom of the lake. Unfortunately, the work was successful, in the theory not in practicality. The
permeability increased, leading to the springs becoming contaminated with tiny organisms, which are
resistant to hypochlorite and sand-filtration. This phenomenon affected two springs and this is the reason
why they are not operational today.

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 Figure 29 - The shaft well in the Anna cave

The operating spring (Figure 30) from the previously mentioned three. For the cleaning, there is an
automatic cleaner equipment which adds hypochlorite to the extracted water; moreover, there is a sand-
filter which is good for filtrating the solid particles.

Figure 30 - Automatic Chlorine Machine

In the end of the cave we met a very fascinating installation what is a so called ‘energy breaker’ (Figure
31). Very important object, because without this the pipeline system of the upper region of Miskolc for
example Hámor, Diósgyőr – can be damaged due to high pressure as result of a sudden drop of 20m. As
the Upper-Szinva-spring is located at the top of the water supply system that’s why the Mivíz Kft use only

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gravity based to extract the water. However, the elevation differences cause high pressure, and when the
water reaches for example Diósgyőr, we can talk about devastating energy. So, it has to be break with this
machine. After the broken energy decreasing to near zero from this point the transport process can start
again, powered by gravity.

Figure 31 - Energy Breaker.

Because of the bad lights, we cannot see the main parts of the system, but here is a schematic draw to help
the imagination. The arrived water touching the breaker’s surface, lost its energy and flowing toward via
the pipe (Figure 32).

Figure 32 - Distribution Pipe Along the Cave.

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3. THERMAL WATER UTILIZATION SITE

In the Bükk Karst System, the cold and warm waters are interconnected therefore it is said it is better to
drill further down the mountain to get warm/hot water. The elevation difference results in pressures of about
40 – 42bar, which signifies how pressure drives the system for example pressure of cold water is higher
than pressure of uplifting warm water. In the surrounding of the mountains the deepest well has a
temperature of 100°C, which is used to heat flats in Miskolc. It is said that the further and deeper you drill
away from the mountain the temperature of the water will increase, however it should be noted that this is
not always the case, because in some cases the deeper you drill the lower the temperature of the water.

d) Selyemrét Thermal Bath

Generally at the Bükk area, North Hungary, it can be said that the thermal water recharge is at the highland
open karstic area. The water inflow the karstic area and flow further under the clastic cover sediments which
have – in the point of hydrological view - only insulation function. The percolated cold water heats up in
the deep and flows through the fissures and reaches the surface (springs or wells) (Figure 33).

As far as we are from the recharge area the hotter the water becomes. Although we have to drill through
the thick clastic sediment cover to reach the favourable hot water. However sometimes anomalies (at
relatively shallow depth high temperature) may occur which points out the fact that we need further
investigate to understand the water flow system of the area.

Figure 33 - Thermohydraulic outline of the surrounding of Miskolc (based on SZLABÓCZKY 1974, by

LÉNÁRT 2011)

At the eastern part of Miskolc, is Selyemrét where a public bath is located. The water supply of the public
bath is ensured by 2 large yield thermal wells. Well 1 (temperature is ̴ 100°C) this is used for heating of the
Selyemrét building. The wellhead and the mechanical engineering equipments are situated in the same shaft
(Figure 34).

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Well 2 is drilled to Triassic limestone where app. 45°C thermal water come to the surface without pumping
(Figure 36). The thermal water of Well 2 is used for the swimming pool (Figure 35). The produced water
cannot be use directly to fill the pools due to its high temperature (42-45°C). Therefore the thermal water
is mixed with cooler water. The cooler water is sourced from a well which was drilled into the porous layers.
The wellhead of the cooler water well and its mechanical engineering equipments are situated in different
shafts.

Figure 34 - Well 1. at Selyemrét

Figure 35 - Well 2 at Selyemrét

Figure 36 - Well 2. at selyemrét, geological log

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REFERENCES

Miviz 2018. Tisztítasi fokozat létesítése a Miskolci Szennyvíztisztító Telepen.

LÉNÁRT L. (2011): A Bükk környéki termálkarszt lehatárolásának tudománytörténeti áttekintése 1907-től

napjainkig KARSZTFEJLŐDÉS XVI. Szombathely, pp. 9-20.

SZLABÓCZKY P. (1974): Karsztvíz tározó rendszer termohidraulikai vizsgálata Miskolc környéki adatok
alapján - Hidrológiai Közlöny, 54, 11. füz.p. 516-523.

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