News

31 January 2023

Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva sent an opinion to the Chairman of the Shumen Municipal Council Asya Asparuhova, requesting a full and thorough review of the 2022-2026 business plan of the water supply company in Shumen, aimed at fair decision-making in favour of the people.

The reason for Prof. Kovacheva’s opinion is the upcoming meeting of the Water Supply Association, scheduled to take place on 15 February 2023, specifically to agree on the 2022-2026 business plan of the water supply company in Shumen for the 2022-2026 regulatory period.

The Ombudsman emphasized that she had been following the case of water supply in Shumen and the region for many years and recalled that in order to address the problems with the water quality and price in the region she had made a number of recommendations to the Minister for Regional Development and Public Works, to the Minister of Environment and Water, to the Chairman of the Water Supply Association of a designated area served by the Shumen water supply company, but the water service did not meet the quality requirements yet.

 “The annual report and benchmarking of the water supply sector for 2021, adopted by a decision of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (KEVR) pursuant to point 1 of Protocol No. 321 of 18.11.2021, states that the Shumen water supply company meets only 11 out of the 30 quality indicators. There is full non-compliance on the following indicators: quality of drinking water in large and small areas, total losses in the water supply system, pressure in the water supply system, failures in the sewerage network, collection of claims, efficiency of construction of the water metering farm, efficiency of bringing the water meters into service, etc.”, wrote Diana Kovacheva. 

She drew attention to the fact that in 2015 the reported total losses in the water supply system of Shumen water supply company amounted to 80.77%, and 81.30% in 2021.

“There is a deterioration in the performance of this quality indicator. However, the overall cost of water supply and sewerage services has increased, from BGN 2.64/cubic metres (VAT included) in 2015 to BGN 3.41/cubic metres (VAT included) in 2021, or an increase of 29.17%”, said the national public defender.

Prof. Kovacheva also added that the 2022-2026 draft business plan of Shumen water supply company had been published on the Association's website, clearly showing that the total losses in the water supply system in 2026 are projected to be 71.22%, against an individual target for the same year of 66.20%, based on the KEVR Decision of 28 May 2021.

“At the same time, a substantial increase in the combined price of water services is forecast, which is planned to be BGN 5.25/cubic metres (VAT included) in 2023, or 53% higher than the current price. On the other hand, the average monthly income per household is projected to increase by 8.59%, and by 2026 by BGN 5.74/cubic metres (VAT included), being an increase of 68.33% compared to the current price. Over the same period, the average monthly income per person in a household is projected to increase by 20.21%”, the Ombudsman wrote.

In her opinion Diana Kovacheva is adamant that the increased prices of water services will put a substantial burden on the budgets of households in the municipality of Shumen, but there is no guarantee that the quality of the service will improve.

“The proposed draft business plan also states that Article 26 (1) (1) (b) of the Ordinance on the regulation of the quality of water services is not complied with, i.e. no consultations with consumers have been carried out. The results of the consultations with the consumers of the water supply operator are one of the key elements of the business plan. Their absence is a serious breach of both the procedure and the rights and interests of the inhabitants of the municipality of Shumen”, concluded the Ombudsman and called for finding a fair solution for the people.