The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works ordered state-owned water supply companies not to introduce the new higher water prices approved by the EWRC from January 1. The decision comes a day after the civic platform Stand Up.BG and its chairwoman Maya Manolova called on him to stop the price increase and warned that another price increase is unfair against the backdrop of water shortages, accidents and water regimes in dozens of settlements.
„Consumers cannot pay forever for the poor management of the water supply network. Today, the state finally acknowledged the obvious – an increase without any improvement is unacceptable.“, said Maya Manolova.
„Success“ according to KEVR: 18.8 cubic meters of losses per kilometer per day
Manolova emphasized in her position on social networks that according to KEVR data, water losses in the network remain around 60%.
Izpra se.BG sent a statement to the Commission, opposing the decision with the following arguments: that citizens are once again paying for the poor management of the water supply network; that prices are rising, and the quality in places is even deteriorating; that there cannot be a price increase in areas without water for half a year; that 60% of water is lost in the pipes.
„And what did KEVR answer in its decision? You see, water losses per kilometer of water transmission network per day had fallen “only” to 18.8 cubic meters?! From 22 cubic meters in the distant 2009, when water was 3 times cheaper. This amounts to 528 million cubic meters of water lost annually, or as much as one Iskar dam.“, said Manolova.
In the decision published yesterday, the Commission approved water prices for 43 water supply companies – higher than those proposed in the project published last week.
Last week, the former ombudsman repeatedly called on the Minister of Regional Development to order the state-owned water supply companies, of which he is the principal, not to benefit from the price increase and to freeze consumer bills.
„This is what absolutely every normal country does. For example, Poland has been compensating households with 115 euros for energy for 3 years now. And the authorities here are sleeping again and again. I call on the Minister of Regional Development: to immediately order the water supply companies under his charge to freeze water prices!“– warned Manolova yesterday, before the MRDPW announced its decision.
Who is not covered by the MRDPW decision
The MRDPW announcement makes it clear that state-owned companies will not apply the new prices approved by the KEWR, “for now“ due to a necessary “transition period“ in connection with the adoption of the euro. However, the civil platform warns that this does not apply to municipal water and sewerage companies and the concessionaire “Sofiyska voda“.
Stand up.BG indicated that the price of water and sewerage services for household consumers will increase for the following water and sewerage operators:
“Sofiyska voda“ AD – 4.13 leva (11.76% increase)
“ViK - Steneto” Ltd., Troyan – 3.77 BGN (12.47%)
„Water supply and sewage - Berkovitsa“ Ltd. – 2.84 BGN (10.69%)
„Water supply and sewage - Golden Sands“ Ltd. – 5.62 BGN (9.71%)
„WWTP-LEKO KO“ Ltd., Radomir – 1.18 BGN (9.66%)
„Water supply and sewage - P“ Ltd., Panagyurishte – 4.34 BGN (5.39%)
„WWTP - Kresna“ Ltd. – 1.11 BGN (2.43%)