site.btaAverage Water-Supply, Sewerage Service Prices to Rise by 15% as of January 1, 2024

The price of water supply and sewerage (W&S) services will increase by 15% on the average, effective January 1, 2024, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) told BTA on Friday.

The regulator amended the W&S service prices of 38 W&S utilities: 27 regional state-owned companies, 4 municipal-owned utilities and 7 private utilities.

Among other factors, the price was adjusted for the inflation index applied according to a statutory methodology for the period from the approval of the utilities' business plans to the adoption of the current decision, the regulator said. Another factor is a reduction by the EWRC of the prices charged by a number of W&S companies approved under the 2023 business plans due to a failure to implement their investments and the levels of the uniform effectiveness indicators for the 2020-2021 period.

Yet another price-setting element is the annual 15% increase in wages in the sector, which the Commission must take into account according to the national agreement signed between the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works Ministry, the Bulgarian W&S Holding EAD and the water supply trade union affiliated with the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, the EWRC said.

Eight regional utilities (Kyustendil, Shumen, Pernik, Sofia, Silistra, Stara Zagora, Varna and Pleven) will increase the prices of their W&S services by less than 10% in 2024 compared to the current prices. An increase of over 20% will apply to the regions of Sliven, Vidin, Gabrovo, Vratsa, Haskovo and Lovech.