Pleven Remains on Water Regime, Network Replacement Earliest in September

Will there be water for Pleven? This question was the focus of a meeting held today at the Ministry of Regional Development, attended by the Minister of Regional Development Ivan Ivanov, the regional governor, the mayor of the city, and representatives of the state Water Supply and Sewerage Holding. After the discussions, the minister announced that the situation remains critical and it will be necessary to review the water supply network projects, with their actual start expected earliest in September.

The discussions made it clear that Pleven's water problems will not find a solution within this year. Even if the water supply infrastructure replacement projects start in the autumn, their implementation will take at least two years. The Ministry confirmed that there is a delay in the implementation of activities, but did not specify specific reasons. According to Minister Ivanov, one of the main obstacles is the political instability in recent years. The mayor of the city did not comment on whether there had been deliberate obstruction of the process.

In Pleven, there are two main problems: the worn-out water supply network, where water losses reach between 70% and 80%, and insufficient water sources. Currently, the city relies solely on the Cherni Osam Dam, which cannot cover the population's needs. In the long term, the construction of a new dam in the area is envisaged. At the moment, residents have water only for about two hours in the morning and evening, and the regime is often not observed.

Minister Ivanov stated that there is still no precise estimate for the full renovation of the water network. In February, the local Water Supply and Sewerage company's management signed a contract with the Ministry of Environment and Water for financing the pipe replacement worth 147 million leva, of which 110 million are non-refundable funds from the EU. Although the project is in the process of implementation, it is still in the preparation stage. Additional initiatives are also planned to ensure the complete replacement of the outdated network and normalization of water supply.

The Mayor of Pleven, Valentin Hristov, announced: "Pleven will review the projects submitted to the Ministry of Regional Development to include network improvements, because this is the main problem for the city. We have about 70% losses in the water supply network. We will submit documents to the ministry to change these projects. From next week, drilling for new water sources for Pleven will begin, and from September, the water supply network replacement will start on an emergency basis. Pleven is extremely affected, and that is why the city is in this severe regime."

Minister Ivanov added: "Within 2 weeks, Pleven Water Supply and Sewerage, together with the municipal administration, will identify the most critical sites, which will be replaced in early and mid-September to limit losses. Next week, a procedure for the Cherni Osam Dam will be launched to clarify its parameters, where the water supply problem for several regions will be solved."

Hristov emphasized: "Pleven actually needs 800 liters per second. Now the flow to Pleven has greatly decreased, and that is why the city is in this severe regime. The situation is critical. There is water in the morning and afternoon for about 2 hours."

It is expected that from September, with the start of emergency network activities and the launch of drilling for new water sources, a gradual stabilization of water supply will begin. Until then, however, residents will continue to live under serious restrictions.