site.btaBulgaria Water Quality Improved, but Significant Funds Still Needed - European Court of Auditors

Brussels/Luxembourg, September 12 (BTA Special Correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - The quality of drinking water available to consumers in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania has improved in recent years thanks to EU funding, but a significant amount of money still needs to be invested, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors released on Tuesday.

The auditors examined EU action on drinking water quality in the three Member States. The audit covered the period from their accession to the end of 2016. Overall, they found that access and supply had improved - largely due to significant EU investment in recent years. Between 2007 and 2020, the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund support for the management and supply of drinking water in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania will total 3.7 billion euro.

However, the auditors point out that there are still areas where water from the public network does not fully comply with the 1998 EU Drinking Water Directive. In addition, significant further national public and private investment will be needed to provide access to good quality water for everyone in these member states and to ensure that EU-funded investments can be adequately maintained.

The auditors recommend that the European Commission should follow up on gaps in Member State monitoring and enforce the Drinking Water Directive, as well as modify the Directive to ensure that member states inform the Commission about derogations for Small Water Supply Zones; require regular and timely reporting by member states and extend this requirement to Small Water Supply Zones; improve the requirements for the provision of adequate and up-to-date information on the quality of water available to consumers; support member states in promoting actions aimed at the reduction of water losses.

According to the auditors, Member States should require as part of the selection criteria for water facility projects that contribute to national targets the inclusion of plans to reduce water losses. They should also ensure that tariffs provide for sustainable infrastructure and, if necessary, provide financial or other forms of support to households for whom water costs are above the affordability rate.