One of the most important water supply arteries in Southeastern Bulgaria – the "Kamchia" system, has received a key renovation. This became clear during an official ceremony to open the reconstructed section, attended by representatives of the state and local authorities, the management of VK EAD – Burgas, the contractors of the site, and interested parties. After nearly two years of work, the renovated section of the "Kamchia–South" Derivation near the village of Chernograd, Aytos, has been put into operation. This is also the first project from the water cycle to be opened outside the municipality of Burgas within the large-scale integrated water project for the improvement of the water infrastructure in the region.
The "Kamchia" system supplies drinking water not only to Burgas, but also to dozens of settlements in the Burgas and Varna regions. Built more than half a century ago, it is starting to experience more and more frequent breakdowns, especially in the area of the village of Chernograd, Aytos. This leads to frequent interruptions in the water supply and the loss of large quantities of water, problems that directly affect households and businesses in the region. The reconstruction of the 3-kilometer most compromised section was among the most urgent and important tasks. Construction and installation works started in September 2023, and in July 2025, the site was officially put into operation. The contractor is "Aqua Yug" DZZD. Contract No. ZOP-35/08.06.2022 at a value of 493,863.05 BGN excluding VAT.
With the renovation of the facility, the residents of the municipalities of Aytos and Karnobat benefit from improved quality of drinking water, as the water supply system meets all current directives and requirements of the European Union for the quality of water for drinking needs. Fewer accidents also mean less water loss.
The reconstruction near the village of Chernograd, Aytos, is just one of the sites within the large "Integrated Water Project for Burgas Region", which VK EAD is implementing. The first phase was completed at the end of 2023 with completely renovated water supply networks in the "Sarafovo" and "Meden Rudnik" neighborhoods, as well as the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant there. This first phase is financed under the Operational Program "Environment 2014–2020", with financial support from the European Union through a grant from the Cohesion Fund amounting to over 59 million leva. Work continues in the second phase of the "Environment" Program 2021-2027, co-financed by the European Union, where European funding is even more extensive – over 238 million leva.