News

14 February 2025

The Ombudsman Institution sent a letter to the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov and to the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov because of the numerous complaints from citizens of Shoumen against the 7-month supply of drinking water, which is not good for drinking.

The letter insists on urgent measures to be taken to initiate a meeting with members of the local Water Supply and Sewerage Company and of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) to discuss options for supporting households in the hit areas that have to suffer restrictions in water use and at the same time to pay prices that are some of the highest in the country for Water Supply and Sewerage services. The idea is to support people by paying compensations or water subsidies, with lower prices for the water supply service, including changes in the General Conditions regarding the liability of the water supply and sewerage operators, which would guarantee protection of the rights and interests of consumers when drinking water that is not good for drinking is supplied.

People rightly ask why, since the water, as proved by the Regional Health Inspectorate in Shoumen, is not good for drinking, they have to pay for it as drinking water, and not as irrigation water. People are firm that the water is not good for domestic needs either for it clogs drains, causes wear and tear of the domestic water pipes, the household appliances, etc.

“As complainers report, a four-member household needs about 10 liters of water for drinking and cooking every day. On average, the price of a 10-liter water canister is BGN 4.00 daily and their monthly expenses for bottled water are about BGN 120.00. Adding to this amount the monthly invoiced cost from the Water Supply and Sewerage operator of about BGN 60.00, each household in the city pays over BGN 180.00 for drinking water, which they consider unacceptable. This significantly burdens the budgets of the households with unplanned costs for the supply of water, especially the socially disadvantaged vulnerable consumers, people with disabilities, pensioners,” writes the Ombudsman Institution’s Secretary General Dr. Aysun Avdjiev.

He emphasizes that people demand compensations for the poor quality of water and a reduction of the water price for failure to meet the requirements of Regulation 9/2001 on quality.

“Given the above-stated I approached the manager of Water Supply and Sewerage Shoumen limited, who in a letter Outgoing Number 331/10.02.2025 informed us as follows: In connection with the need to build treatment facilities for all water sources for drinking and domestic needs from surface waters, as per Ordinance No. 12/2002 about the quality requirements for surface water, in keeping with the quality requirements for surface water, intended for drinking and household water supply, and in order to be able to control the deterioration of  the quality of the water from Ticha dam, according to the turbidity indicator, a Treatment Plant for Drinking Water for the Shoumen Water Supply Infrastructure has already been built as a project under BG16М1ОP002-1.016-0012-С01 of a Grant Contract between Shoumen Water Supply and Sewerage and Operational Program Environment 2014-2020, the Secretary General writes further to the Ministers.

He adds to the information from the company that on 30 January 2025 a meeting was held of the State Construction Acceptance Board – Shoumen Drinking Water Treatment Plant appointed, by Order No. РД-19-38 of 23 January of the Directorate for National Supervisory Control. A permit for the use of the structure is expected after which the plant will go into operation to ensure the treatment of raw water.

“In response to the question put, which concerns the payment of compensations of the users by the Water Supply and Sewerage operator, they informed that the company’s activities in terms of the delivery of water supply and sewerage services are strictly regulated. It can take action against consumers only if such are permitted in the relevant regulatory acts or the General Terms approved by the EWRC. The regulatory frame concerning the delivery of water supply and sewerage services by Shoumen Water Supply and Sewerage and the General  Terms and Conditions for the provision of Water and Sewerage services to consumers by the Shoumen Water Supply and Sewerage company does not possess a tool by which compensation for consumers can be raised in any case,” Dr. Aysun Avdjiev points out.

He draws attention to the fact that during the latest inspection of the local Regional Health Inspectorate (5-9 February), the laboratory analysis, including water samples taken from various points in the water supply zone of Ticha dam, high turbidity figures were found again that exceed what is standard for consumers. Therefore, it is recommended that the water in the city of Shoumen, the town of Veliki Preslav, the village of Panayot Volovo, the village of Belokopitovo and the village of Dibich supplied from Ticha dam, should not be used for drinking and cooking.

“For some seven months now, the people in the said populated areas have been suffering because of the non-supply of water that is good for drinking and domestic needs and therefore, the inexistence of regulatory rules for the protection of their rights as users of the water supply and sanitation services, which I find unacceptable. According to Art. 41, para 6 of Ordinance No. 4/2004 about the terms and conditions for connection and use of water supply and sewerage infrastructure, the Water Supply and Sewerage operator, jointly with the municipal administration is under an obligation to supply drinking water to the population only when there is a complete water cut or the quantity of water has significantly decreased but not when the water is not good for drinking,” Dr. Aysun Avdjiev emphasizes and adds that under the Social Assistance Act (Art. 2, para 3) people are entitled to assistance up to the amount of the minimum water monthly.