Bulgaria Faces Water Crisis: Over 300 Settlements Under Regime as Reserves Plummet

More than 300 settlements across Bulgaria are currently on a water regime, affecting nearly 500,000 people. Recent assessments indicate a significant reduction in water reserves in dams compared to last summer, with some reservoirs now at only 2 percent of their full capacity.

Concerns have heightened following issues reported with the "Koprinka" dam, which is currently just over 13 percent full. Experts and organizations have warned of a potential ecological disaster due to a possible mass fish die-off. However, there is no immediate threat of a water regime in Stara Zagora at this time.

The regional governor of Stara Zagora, Metodi Markov, said on Nova TV that a plan is in place to manage water supplies for farmers. He has coordinated with the Prime Minister's office, "Irrigation Systems" management in Sofia, and the Minister of Environment and Water, Petar Dimitrov. A mobile laboratory has been deployed to monitor water quality and oxygen levels to prevent any potential fish die-off.

Assoc. Prof. Borislav Velikov highlighted that a one-degree increase in Earth's temperature results in a 7 percent decrease in available water. He emphasized the need for a unified agency to manage the country's water resources, noting that a strategy developed a decade ago with World Bank support projected a need for 12 billion leva to improve water sources and address losses. The plan, which aimed for substantial EU funding, has not been realized.