Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov and Minister of Regional Development Ivan Ivanov visited the municipality of Breznik in connection with the water shortage. In the municipality of Breznik, they held a meeting with Mayor Vasil Uzunov, Regional Governor Lyudmil Veselinov and Member of Parliament Hristina Georgieva. Mayor Uzunov informed the Deputy Prime Minister about the situation in Breznik and the surrounding area and the presence of manganese in the waters of the “Krasava“ dam.
He insisted that in order to solve the problem with the water regime in the municipality, it is necessary to build a water supply line from the “Studena“ dam, which would ensure the necessary water flow rate.
After the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Zafirov, in his capacity as Chairman of the National Water Board, and Minister Ivan Ivanov committed to proposing and discussing at a meeting of the Council of Ministers and in a coalition format the need for the municipality of Breznik to build a water supply line.
Today we are in Breznik to get acquainted with the problems on site and to see what the timely reaction of the state could be, Deputy Prime Minister Zafirov told the media. A large part of the problems are inherited, they have accumulated over the years, there was a lack of political will to solve them. It is time for solutions. We are here as part of this solution, he added.
Minister Ivan Ivanov stated that the municipality of Breznik can be an example, both in terms of how the funds under the so-called municipal investment program are used, and in terms of the search for new water sources. Minister Ivanov added that over 90 percent of the projects of the municipality of Breznik are for the replacement of the water supply infrastructure and the projects are financed on time and on schedule.
At the moment, we are investing 2.6 million leva here in replacing the water supply network here in the municipality of Breznik, as the problem is located here in the city, explained Ivanov. According to him, the main water loss is in the water supply network in the city, as the water supply pipes in the municipality have been replaced.
The main task of the new management of ViK Pernik is to provide full assistance in cleaning and maintaining these water sources, because they are key, added Minister Ivanov.
He recalled that during the first meeting of the National Water Board, he reported that 3.7 billion leva were needed for the most urgent projects. Ivan Ivanov congratulated the mayor of the municipality for providing hydrophore systems in public buildings, so that there would be no water regime there.
About 30 liters per second are needed to get out of the water regime, added Ivanov. According to him, if a decision is made to build a new water supply line from the Studena dam, the problem in the Breznik municipality can be solved within the next year.
Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov recalled that the National Water Board is a tool for solving problems. The board identifies the problem, finds the right solution and proposes it to the Council of Ministers or the National Assembly, he explained. The Deputy Prime Minister was categorical that the state will be uncompromising in relation to any forms of negligence and sloppiness and from now on everyone will bear responsibility for their actions.
Regarding Pleven, Minister Ivanov explained that there, like Breznik, all projects are currently being reformatted so that the activities of the Water and Sewerage Company can be ensured.