site.btaParliamentary Hearing Addresses Expected Drinking Water Supply Crisis

A hearing was held at the National Assembly on Thursday over the need for urgent measures to address an expected drinking water supply crisis due to low rainfall levels and unfavourable drought forecasts for 2025, as well as over long-standing issues in infrastructure and water services. The hearing, initiated by MPs from the parliamentary group of Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning, was attended by Environment and Water Minister Manol Genov and Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov.

Environment Minister Genov stressed the need to achieve a balance in meeting water needs for both household and other purposes. "It is expected that the spring and summer of 2025 will be relatively warm, with a probability of around 60-65%," Genov said. He stressed that in conditions of reduced water inflow into key reservoirs, the ministry's actions are focused on the balanced distribution of water resources. Genov reminded that restrictions have been introduced through regulatory schedules for reservoir usage from January 1, 2025, significantly reducing the water supplied to the energy sector and operators using it for irrigation.

The Environment and Water Ministry manages the use of water from 52 reservoirs out of a total of some 6,900 in the country, monitoring the volumes in key reservoirs daily. As of April 2, 2025, the total accumulated volume in key reservoirs stands at 3,612 million cubic meters, representing 55% of their total capacity. This accumulated volume is approximately 8% lower, year-on-year, reflecting the impact of the third consecutive very dry year in terms of water inflow, Genov explained.

In his words, currently, there is no populated area supplied by key reservoirs that is under water restrictions. According to him, despite climate-related factors, Bulgaria’s overall water resources are sufficient to meet the country's consumption. However, he warned that there is a significant waste of natural resources, and major losses, along with poorly maintained water supply networks and infrastructure, are among the main causes of water shortages.

Regional Development Minister Ivanov said that the problems that follow climate change are becoming more and more tangible for all citizens and require adequate and timely measures to be taken by the competent institutions. The factors underlying the current situation are complex, he said, pointing out that on the one hand much of the water and sewerage infrastructure is heavily run-down and frequently breaks down, and on the other - climate change is increasingly felt, manifested in longer periods of drought and drying up of water sources, followed by periods of intense rainfall and flooding.

Increased seasonal consumption, including the use of potable water for non-potable purposes, ageing water supply infrastructure lead to the need to limit water consumption. Other reasons for the disruption of water supply to settlements are related to the difficult terrain through which water supply pipelines pass and the increased time required to fix water supply breakdowns, the Minister said.

He recalled that for the2025-2028 period,  the Regional Development Ministry has proposed to invest funds to finance surveys, studies, design and execution of construction works at several major sites.

Reading a declaration on behalf of her parliamentary group, Velichie MP Krasimira Katincharova told Parliament that the draining of dams for power generation should be immediately stopped until the necessary volumes are collected in them, which will have to meet the needs of farmers' requested areas by crops. Velichie's declaration raises the question of who is killing Bulgarian agriculture and argued that Bulgaria is on the verge of an agricultural catastrophe.

Katincharova noted that the situation is critical due to expected failure of the 2025 irrigation season due to irresponsible and inconsistent with agricultural needs large-scale draining of water for electricity production in private dams Belmeken, Batak, Koprinka, Gorni Dabnik, Pyasachnik, Topolnitsa and Zhrebchevo. 

Food security is part of national security, and incompetent and corrupt management is systematically killing traditional Bulgarian agriculture and Bulgarian agriculture in general, Katincharova said.

"Like every national resource in this governance, water, instead of being a source of life, is a source of plunder. After two years of drought and irresponsible management of water resources, Bulgarian farmers are brought to their knees. Bulgarian livestock farmers, who depend on them, are in a similar position. Severe weather conditions in recent years and prolonged droughts have exposed the inept management of our water resources and caused a decline in production and yields of vegetables, fruit, silage and cereals," said Katincharova.

"Bulgaria is poor in surface water - it ranks second to last in Europe. Skillful management is vital and this has been lacking for a decade," the MP argued.

The declaration also said that the infrastructure of the State-owned company Irrigation Systems was destroyed in 2011-2013. Today, Irrigation Systems EAD is a symbol of corruption, waste and schemes with EU funds. The company has become another money-draining tool, the MP added.