20 години инвестиции на ЕС във ВИК инфраструктура. Възможни алтернативи за подобряване на водоснабдяването в България
20 Years of EU Investments in Water Infrastructure. Possible Alternatives for Improving Water Supply in Bulgaria

Author(s): Marina Belcheva
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Economy, Business Economy / Management, Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: natural resources; mineral waters; sustainable management; concessions
Summary/Abstract: Over the past twenty years, the European Union has invested substantial financial resources in Bulgaria’s water supply and sewerage (WSS) infrastructure as an EU Member State, through various programs and mechanisms. The objective of these investments is to achieve maximum compliance with the Drinking Water Directive and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, as well as to reduce losses in the national water supply network. Nevertheless, water scarcity remains a long-standing issue in numerous settlements; the number of areas subject to water supply restrictions is increasing, and losses in the distribution network are among the highest compared to Central European standards. Although Bulgaria is a country with significant water resources, record-high temperatures recorded in recent years, prolonged periods of drought, and the growing demands of agriculture, industrial production, and the population necessitate the search for alternative water supply sources. One such opportunity lies in the mineral waters suitable for daily consumption, of which Bulgaria has abundant reserves. Known for its exceptionally diverse mineral deposits in terms of temperature and composition, the country still possesses untapped potential that can be studied and systematized to address water shortages. This report examines the EU funds invested in Bulgaria’s WSS infrastructure over the past twenty years, the outcomes of the implemented projects, and the issues that continue to deprive thousands of people of daily access to water. It also considers the mineral water resources available in Bulgaria as an exceptional natural asset and a possible alternative water supply source.

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