Another settlement in Haskovo region remains without drinking water due to elevated uranium levels. Since Friday, the restriction applies not only to Haskovo, but also to Harmanli. The problem has been around for a long time and coincides with some of the largest water losses in the region due to a heavily depreciated network. Meanwhile, debtors to the local water and sewerage system owe over 2 million leva, and in neighborhoods and villages, excavators are already working to cut off water supply to non-payers, Nova TV reported.
In the Haskovo neighborhood “Republika“, the water and sewerage teams often enter with heavy equipment because of accumulated debts of over three months. According to the company, it is the waste of water that leads to large bills. “When debts of over three months have accumulated, we cut them off. The debts are large because a lot of water is wasted“, explained Plamena Ilieva, the head of the “Sales“ department at the Water and Sewerage Company in Haskovo.
Every time the teams visit, arguments break out with residents in the area. People explain that there is no work, incomes are low, and the elderly and sick have difficulty covering their obligations.
Among the debtors is Münyübe, who has accumulated a bill of 3,000 leva for several years. She claims that the problem is in the water meter and that she cannot pay the required minimum payment of 1,000 leva. “I pay 100 leva, but the bill still accumulates. I am sick, I am diabetic… 1,000 leva from where?“, the woman asked.
However, the presence of the equipment immediately increases the Water and Sewerage Company's income from unpaid bills. Over 100 leva were collected in a few days out of the total of over 2 million owed. “In three hours we collected over 10 thousand leva, there are separate payments to the cashier“, Ilieva specified.
While the company collects debts, the water supply in the region remains limited. In Haskovo, Harmanli and a number of villages, the water is prohibited for drinking due to increased uranium content. Options are being sought for more clean water – in the wells near Maritsa, the water supply area is being expanded.
“Horizontal drainage beams are being laid using a mining method, which increase the water intake part of the facility. A well with a diameter of 3 meters can already cover 15-16 meters," explained Krasimir Devedzhiev from the contractor company.
The Water and Sewerage Department hopes that this will increase the flow of water to Haskovo, where, however, 80% of the extracted water is lost in the soil. "Due to an extremely worn-out network, about 80% of the water we extract is lost," said Diana Ivanova from Water and Sewerage – Haskovo.
To reduce losses, the construction of over 50 kilometers of new water pipes is beginning - half from the Water and Sewerage Department, the other part from the Haskovo Municipality.
"We hope to save water from accidents. Haskovo is the first in the detection of underground Water and Sewerage accidents due to their huge number. The goal is to preserve the available water and avoid water crises in the summer,“ said Haskovo Mayor Stanislav Dechev.