Critical Water Shortages Threaten Bulgaria’s Pleven

A crisis situation has emerged in Pleven and the surrounding settlements, where the local water supply has been severely affected due to the drying up of wells, reports BNT. To address this issue, the ministers of regional development and environment and water are scheduled to meet today with the regional governor of Pleven and the city's mayor. The city and its neighboring areas are now on a water regime, following ongoing difficulties with water supply.

The primary response to this crisis involves modernizing the "Bivolare" pumping station by replacing outdated irrigation pipes. Additionally, the construction of the "Cherni Osam" dam is seen as a crucial long-term solution. Despite funding being allocated for the modernization of the pumping station, experts emphasize that the dam's construction is key to resolving the water shortage in the region. The Cherni Osam dam project, first proposed in 1986, faced delays and was halted due to local protests, but it is now moving forward as an urgent priority.

Vladimir Bibov, a member of the Board of Directors of "Bulgarian Water and Sewer Holding," pointed out that the drought situation in the area is dire, and the dam’s construction is considered critical. Meanwhile, water loss through the pipes remains a significant issue, with the country losing an average of 60% of its drinking water. Authorities are calling on municipalities to utilize available resources through the state’s municipal program to address these issues swiftly.

On Bulgaria’s Southern Black Sea coast, a critical situation is unfolding as the "Kamchia" and "Yasna Polyana" dams are only about one-fifth full. To address the crisis, a water supply program has been developed, with the first stage focusing on supplying Varna with water from the "Devnen springs." The available volumes from the "Kamchia" dam will be redirected to meet the needs of the Southern Black Sea coast. The implementation of these projects is in its final stages, with a budget of approximately 50 million and a two-year completion timeline.

In addition, there are discussions about connecting the Poroy and Aheloy dams to supplement the water supply to the region. However, this will take time due to the need for expropriation procedures. The Ministry of Environment and Water is managing the water distribution, prioritizing drinking water needs before allocating resources for rehabilitation, irrigation, and energy.

Magdalina Valkova, an engineer with "Irrigation Systems", noted that the irrigation dams are currently one-third full. To avoid pressure on water users, multiple meetings have been held with agricultural producers to assess the available water volume ahead of the irrigation season. In the current drought conditions, the demand for water is expected to rise. Irrigation Systems has also initiated a significant investment program funded by the European Union to expand the irrigated area by 200,000 acres, while improving water efficiency. Despite the challenges, the company has managed to irrigate 40,000 more acres than last year, using less water.

As the season progresses, there is hope that winter rainfall will replenish water supplies and provide enough for the next irrigation season.