The MoEW held a working meeting with "Bulgarian Waterworks Holding" and the waterworks operators

On the initiative of the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) under the leadership of Deputy Minister Reneta Koleva, a working meeting was held to discuss the necessary actions and measures to ensure the drinking and domestic water supply of the population from the dams Kamchia, Yasna Polyana, Asenovets, Ticha, Kalin and Karagyol. The meeting was attended by representatives of "Bulgarian Waterworks Holding" EAD and waterworks operators for Burgas, Shumen, Sliven and Targovishte. The representatives of VK operators for Varna and Dupnitsa did not respond to the invitation to the meeting.

"Efficient and sustainable management of water resources in the long term is necessary. But first we need to identify short-term measures to deal with the problem of drought and lack of water for water supply. Let's see where you, the water service operators, state the greatest needs. Let's also be aware of what the lack of water is due to - lack of an alternative water source, poor infrastructure, lack of funds, losses or administrative obstacles," Deputy Minister Reneta Koleva said during the meeting.

She reviewed the volumes in the dams - in the period 2010-2024, which shows the retention of low volumes in the last few years, and pointed out that the inflow to date is typical of very dry year conditions.

NIMH data indicate a continuation of the trend for consecutive dry years, which predicts a deepening of the problem of waterlessness and categorically requires the taking of urgent measures by the institutions and water supply operators. "In order to reduce the suffering of the people, our task is from now on to see how to distribute the available water quantities in the most appropriate way, so that the restrictions that are imposed by the monthly schedules affect the population supplied with water by the various water supply operators to the least extent "said the director of the "Water Management" Directorate at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Krasimira Bramcheva.

Eng. Lozko Lozev, chairman of the management board "Bulgarian Waterworks Holding" EAD, recalled that the main problem in the sector is the physical losses on the network, which now stand out against the background of "zero inflow in some places".

It was confirmed by the participants in the meeting that at the moment there is no water regime introduced in any of the settlements that are supplied with water from the complex dams to the water supply operators for Burgas, Shumen, Sliven and Targovishte. The companies presented data on the settlements supplied with water from the considered dams, the amounts they need and the possibilities of providing them, including presence or absence of backup water sources and their possible quantities, the stage of implementation of current projects and potential future measures to ensure drinking and domestic water supply.

Deputy Minister Reneta Koleva asked the holding company and the water supply operators to submit to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science within 2 weeks a plan for the distribution of water quantities and provision of drinking and domestic water supply for each of the discussed dams. This includes the calculation of water quantities for each water supply operator, respectively the distribution of water quantities in the presence of several water supply users, as well as information on the presence or absence of alternative water sources and, accordingly, what volume of needs is provided. The companies must also present a vision with measures and deadlines regarding the inclusion of new and rehabilitation of old water sources for alternative water supply, as well as for reducing losses in the water supply network.