site.btaEnvironment Minister Genov: Open Debate Key to Sustainable Water Management

The Minister of Environment and Water, Manol Genov, said that sustainable results in the water sector can be achieved through open debate on its most urgent problems and solutions. He was speaking during the conference “Water and Security: National Solutions to Critical Challenges with European Support”, held here on Friday.

Genov noted that weaknesses in water management are now openly acknowledged, including losses in water supply networks, insufficient treatment, pollution, and a lack of efficiency. This is why the topic of water sustainability has been placed on the European agenda, where a strategy has been developed to achieve a balance between resource management, competitiveness, and the circular economy. 

The Minister highlighted the EU’s ambitious target of improving water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030, with Member States expected to reduce losses and promote water use in agriculture, energy, and industry.

He also pointed out that Bulgaria will need to submit a national plan to reduce losses by 2030, once a common EU threshold has been established. The Minister said that combined flood risk maps have already been prepared to support more precise planning of preventive measures.

Genov added that the Ministry is actively engaged in wastewater treatment projects, with agreements signed with seven water operators to upgrade infrastructure. Additional funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan have been redirected to the Environment Programme to finance further projects.