site.btaNo Settlements in Bulgaria Face Round-the-Clock Water Cuts – Regional Development Minister

There are no settlements in Bulgaria experiencing water outages round the clock; however, some are on rationing due to insufficient water, mainly in underground water sources. The observation was made by Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov on Tuesday during a visit to the village of Yoakim Gruevo near Plovdiv. The Minister of Environment and Water, Manol Genov, added that even if dry weather persists, all 51 major reservoirs in the country will hold up and prioritize supplying water for domestic needs.

The two ministers attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a project involving the reconstruction of 16 streets and the replacement of the water supply network in Yoakim Gruevo. The investment amounts to BGN 5 million, funded under the Investment Programme for Municipal Projects. Minister Ivanov reminded that over BGN 7 billion has been allocated within this programme to be implemented during the current government’s term. He urged mayors to reconsider their projects or submit new ones focusing on renewing the main water supply infrastructure, as currently, the percentage of such projects is very low. “They might choose to forego a playground in favour of a water pipeline in the respective settlement or combine street repairs with water pipe replacement,” the minister said.

Ivanov also addressed the issue of uranium presence in water in the Haskovo region, noting that negotiations are ongoing with the managing authority of the Environment Programme. Over the next two years, so-called water cycles will be replaced, and water treatment units will be constructed at each water source to remove uranium. A temporary solution is being sought, including investigating whether purification units from neighbouring Stara Zagora Region could be relocated to Haskovo.

Minister Genov commented that flexible new policies have been introduced regarding water releases from the 51 major reservoirs. Priority is given to domestic water supply, followed by irrigation of agricultural land, and lastly energy needs. Energy production is subordinated to irrigation, meaning every cubic metre of water used for electricity generation is redirected to irrigation, he emphasized.