site.bta162,000 People Affected by Water Restrictions, Says Regional Development Minister

The number of people affected by the disrupted water supply is 162,000, said Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov on bTV. He added that 10 cities and 183 villages are under water restrictions.

Ivanov cited lack of rainfall, damaged infrastructure, and polluted water sources as the main reasons for the water shortage. The Minister added that around BGN 2 billion will be invested over the next 2-3 years to address the problem. The funding will be provided by the state and the EU.

Regarding the repair of the water pipeline in Shumen, Ivanov said that the pipeline is currently in a test period and has not been put into operation due to a broken weld, adding that the costs for the new repairs will be covered by the contractor.