Over 220,000 People Across Bulgaria Affected by Water Supply Restrictions

More than 220,000 people across Bulgaria are currently facing water supply restrictions, according to an analysis by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC). The report examined the causes of disrupted access to drinking water in 2025 in various regions of the country, amid a growing number of water shortage issues.

Inspections were carried out at water and sewerage operators (water utility companies) nationwide to assess the extent to which they had met their 2024 targets for reducing water losses, with specific recommendations issued.

The 130-page analysis reveals that the most affected region, in terms of settlements with populations over 500, is managed by the ViK operator in Pleven, which reported 13 settlements and a total of 107,000 people under water restrictions. The operator’s water loss rate stands at 71.31%.

Alarming figures were also recorded in Breznik, where water losses reached 73% in 2025, leaving residents under water rationing for almost an entire year. In Pernik, losses were over 80% in 2024, and 89.45% in Radomir.

The EWRC notes that the utility compamy in Pernik has taken only minimal investment and operational measures to improve the situation between January 2023 and August 2025. The regulator also points out that no system has yet been established to detect hidden leaks — a process which, according to the Commission, “is yet to be developed.”