Reform in the Water and Sewerage Sector: How will changes to the Water Act affect your bills?

WSS Sector Reform: Key Steps under the RRP

The interim Committee on Budget and Finance in Parliament adopted at the first reading a bill to amend and supplement the Water Act. The reform is directly linked to the requirements of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), with the goal of modernizing and improving the efficiency of water resource management.

"Failure to complete the projects by August 31 leads to a risk of losing funds under the RRP," warned Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov.

Main highlights of the bill:

• Consolidation: WSS services in designated areas will be provided by a single operator.
• Differentiated prices: Different tariffs will be introduced for residential and non-residential consumers, as well as for social infrastructure facilities, with the aim of ensuring social affordability.
• Control by EWRC: The regulator will set unified quality and efficiency indicators for the entire country.
• Reducing losses: A methodology for permissible water losses is being introduced, with a 15-year horizon to achieve long-term quality levels.

Despite the support from institutions, the EWRC warned that drafting the new regulations for prices and quality is a complex process that may necessitate postponing the regulatory period by one year.