EWRC changed the prices of water supply services of 38 operators – 27 regional state companies, 4 municipal and 7 private operators

The commission of energy and water regulation in specialized composition "Waterworks" adopted a decision to amend the service prices for 2024 approved by the business plans of the waterworks operators. The procedure is carried out in accordance with Art. 6, item 2 and art. 29 of the Ordinance on the regulation of the prices of water supply and sewerage services /OOROPWSSS/.

With the decision of the regulator, the prices of water supply services of 38 water supply operators are changed - 27 regional state companies, 4 municipal and 7 private operators. The changed prices take effect from January 1, 2024. One of the factors for the price change is the inflation index applied according to a normatively determined methodology, for the period from the approval of the business plans to the adoption of the current decision. The reason for the price adjustments is also the fact that the Commission reduced the prices approved under the business plans for 2023 of a number of water and sanitation companies, due to the non-fulfillment of their investments and the levels of the uniform performance indicators for the period 2020-2021. As a pricing element, it is also included the annual 15% increase in wages in the sector, which the Commission is obliged to account for according to the signed national agreement between the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, "Bulgarian Waterworks Holding" and the trade union "Vodosnabditel" - KNSB.

When adopting the decision on the amendment of the prices of plumbing services approved with the business plans for 2023, the Commission strictly followed the prescribed legal procedure. On 29.11.2023, an open meeting and public discussion were held. Invitations to participate in it were sent to MRDPW, "Bulgarian Waterworks Holding", waterworks associations, the Union of Waterworks Operators in the Republic of Bulgaria, municipalities, nationally represented employer organizations, consumer organizations, etc. The discussion was attended only by the institution of the Ombudsman, the trade unions of KNSB and CL "Podkrepa", Civic Platform "Izpravi se.bg" and the municipalities of Razgrad and Lovech. The open meeting and the public discussion were broadcast online on the EWRC website.