Springs and karst water played an important role in Tata's identity. The town developed a serious bath culture in the 19th century. Coal mining started at the same time in the neighbouring Tatabánya. Due to geological conditions, mining was endangered by karst water. For this reason, karst water has been increasingly pumped in Tatabánya. In the 1950s, water lifting became so large that there was a shortage of drinking water. In the 1960s, the depletion of springs in Tata, and then the re-emergence of karst water determined urban politics and public life.
