site.btaDrinking Water Quality Improves, Water Sector Report Shows

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) has approved the Annual Report and Comparative Analysis of the Water Supply and Sewerage (WSS) Sector for 2024, the regulator said on Wednesday. The report notes positive efficiency trends in 2024 compared with 2023, including expanded service coverage, improved drinking water quality in both large and small supply zones, and an increase in the rehabilitation rate of the water supply network. Collection rates and staff efficiency have also improved.

At the same time, the report highlights some negative trends, such as an increase in network failures, a slight rise in water losses, and a small increase in property flooding caused by sewer system failures.

The document also includes data on renewable energy production by WSS operators. In 2024, a total of 16 operators generated 27,414 MWh of electricity from their own renewable sources, accounting for around 4.5% of the sector’s total consumption.

According to the EWRC, water operators have improved the quality and reliability of their information registries and databases in line with regulatory requirements. Many companies are currently implementing asset registers and geographic information systems (GIS). 

The report further notes that total investments in the WSS sector reached BGN 532 million in 2024. About 41% of investments in public water infrastructure were financed by the operators themselves, while the rest came from EU-funded programmes ("Environment" 2014-2020 and 2021-2027, "Rural Development" 2014-2020), funds from water use and abstraction fees, and the state budget.