Water and Sewerage Company - Varna requested a moratorium on construction in the landslide area in the “Asparuhovo“ neighborhood, after the company stated that the capacity of the water supply and sewage network has been exhausted. According to the water company, new construction in the area poses a risk that future buildings will be left without sufficient water and sewage, BNT reported.
The landslide process in “Asparuhovo“ was activated on September 21, 2026 in the area where four high-rise buildings were being built. This was followed by the evacuation of eight people from two houses and the interruption of water and electricity in the affected area as a preventive measure. Varna Municipality declared a partial state of emergency for the area of the collapsed road.
Dispute over the causes and coordination of the project
Vik – Varna denies the thesis that a failure in their water supply system caused the landslide. According to the chief engineer Svetoslav Natov, the inspections carried out indicate that the water in the trench is underground. He stated: “The water has nothing to do with the water in our network. Absolutely nothing. According to chemical analysis, this is groundwater“.
The company's director, Eng. Vesselin Rusev, pointed out that the construction project was not coordinated with the Vik –, although in his opinion this was necessary. However, the municipality takes the opposite position and claims that at this stage such coordination is not necessary. The dispute over the procedures is developing in parallel with the measures to control the landslide.
Vik – Varna also announced that it has replaced about 100 meters of Eternit water pipe to rule out leaks as the cause of the landslide. The company plans to report the water pipe destroyed by the landslide to the prosecutor's office and the municipality.
What has been done on site
According to the municipality and the Water and Sewerage Service, drilling is already underway on site and a sample of the soil layers in the construction area is being taken. The results are expected to be ready within two days and will serve to determine the next technical measures.
The crisis headquarters in Varna Municipality decided that the police will conduct regular rounds of the homes of evacuated residents. The nearby construction site has been left with the power supply necessary for the operation of the pumps that pump out groundwater and limit further compromise of the soil layer.
The municipality also announced that the builder is strengthening the sheet pile wall by pouring additional concrete, and a new meeting of the crisis headquarters has been scheduled for September 24, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Until then, the site and the area around it remain under surveillance, and measures to stabilize the terrain continue.
The case also puts pressure on the broader problem with the infrastructure in the southern regions of Varna. The Water and Sewerage Company - Varna claims that for them the limitation of the network has long been a clear problem, and now it is also becoming an argument for stopping new construction in the area of the landslide.
Sources: BNT, Varna Municipality