site.btaTeams from Across Country Will Identify Leaks, Water Theft In Pleven

Teams from water utility operators across the country will be sent to Pleven to identify all leaks and instances of water theft, Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov told journalists, adding that he is issuing an order to that effect today. According to him, the problem with water theft is serious. He quoted figures that water losses in Pleven are 75%.

"Unfortunately, the political limbo has affected the people of Pleven as well. You can see that the state has committed all of its resources," Ivanov said.

He added that he has ordered water tanks to be deployed in all neighborhoods of the city experiencing disrupted water supply, regardless of the percentage of water loss or the current water rationing schedule.

Ivanov added that drilling for water will begin in the coming day after a meeting at the Basin Directoratre.

According to him, the most urgent task is to stop the water losses in Pleven as soon as possible. “We will be uncompromising. This is not only happening in Pleven - similar inspections have been ordered across the country,” he said.

“To give you one striking example —during an inspection in the municipality of Rila, out of 1,300 water connections, 1,200 were illegal. That shows the scale of the problem. This is an isolated case, but mass inspections are now underway nationwide.”

The Minister stressed that Bulgarian citizens are being harmed by others who are illegally connecting to the water supply network.

“There will be an end to this. I advise anyone who has information about such cases to report them, because sooner or later, it could leave you without water,” Ivanov urged.

He added that several measures have already been taken to address the water crisis in Pleven. The first step is for the water utility operator to identify and repair the leaks using its own resources. In the medium term, the solution lies in implementing the Pleven water cycle project, while the long-term solution is the construction of the Cherni Osam reservoir. The tender procedure for selecting a contractor for the design and pre-investment studies of the reservoir will be launched this week, the Minister said.