News

15 August 2025

After receiving dozens of complaints from the city of Pleven about the lack of drinking water, Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva appealed to the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov, urging him to take urgent measures to resolve the problem.

"The Ombudsman received complaints from residents of the city of Pleven regarding the suspension of water supply on 12, 13, and 14 August 2025 for more than 12 hours per day. Citizens claim that the water supply regime announced by Order No. RD-10-1278/07.08.2025 of the mayor of the city of Pleven is not being complied with and that they were not provided with drinking water, including in water tankers, pursuant to Article 41(6) of Ordinance No. 4/2004 on the conditions and procedure for connecting consumers and for the use of water supply and sewerage systems by water supply and sewerage operators (Ordinance No. 4). They express their deep indignation that for yet another year the problems with water supply in the city are becoming a recurring issue," writes the Ombudsman.

Delcheva draws attention to the fact that the Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Pleven and the municipality have a joint obligation to provide drinking water to the population when the water supply is disrupted, regardless of the reasons for the disruption. She emphasizes that people's right to access water for drinking and domestic use, which is a basic necessity of life, needs to be guaranteed.

"It is a matter of concern that Ordinance No. 4 does not provide for rules to monitor compliance with this requirement, nor does it impose penalties for non-compliance. In this regard, I would like to emphasize that the Ombudsman regularly receives complaints from across the country alleging non-compliance with this obligation of water supply and sewerage operators and municipal administrations, and there are also cases of them shifting responsibility," emphasizes Public Defender Velislava Delcheva.

She also emphasizes that the water crisis in the country is getting worse every week, and the number of people affected is growing. According to publicly available information on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works regarding settlements with disrupted water supply as of 11 August  2025, the affected population involves 243,181 persons. 

"In view of the foregoing and pursuant to the Ombudsman Act, I request you to take urgent measures to ensure drinking water for the population of Pleven, including by issuing written instructions to all other water supply and sewerage operators and municipalities on the enforcement of Article 41(6) of Ordinance No. 4. I consider it imperative that you announce a plan to address the water crisis in Pleven, which should include urgent and long-term measures to resolve it, with specific deadlines", the Ombudsman concludes.