Bulgarian Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva has submitted an opinion to the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Ivan Shishkov, proposing amendments to Ordinance No. 4 of 2004 aimed at strengthening consumer protection in water and sewerage services, the Ombudsman’s press office said on Monday.
The initiative follows complaints and the identification of systemic problems during inspections related to meter reading, water rationing, access to drinking water and oversight of water and sewerage operators.
Among the proposals are measures to ensure the accuracy of self-reported meter readings, update data on the number of residents, introduce clear rules for commercial premises, and impose sanctions when water and sewerage operators fail to meet their obligations.
According to the Ombudsman, one particularly pressing issue is the allocation of water used for “common consumption” in condominium buildings. Under the current system, compliant consumers may be required to cover costs incurred by consumers who fail to pay for their water use, due to missing water meters, lack of access for meter readings, or inaccurate self-reported data concerning meter readings and the number of residents.
Delcheva called for a “fairer allocation mechanism whereby failure to comply with statutory obligations does not result in penalizing diligent users.”
The Ombudsman also highlighted the issue of water supply restrictions. She noted that, in practice, there have been cases in which water supply was rationed without an official order being issued and without residents being informed of the reasons or the schedule.
She recommended establishing criteria for situations involving the “drying up” of a water source, as well as cases of a “significant reduction in the flow rate of a water source,” alongside an obligation for local mayors to issue an official order.
Another recommendation concerns people’s right to access drinking water during prolonged interruptions in water supply.
“Given the social significance of the issue, I believe that Article 41, paragraph 6 of Ordinance No. 4 should be clarified, and that specific safeguards should be introduced for vulnerable groups,” the Ombudsman wrote.
Delcheva cited the example of the village of Rogachevo in Balchik Municipality, where, according to complainants, residents experienced a systematic lack of water for more than 20 days in August this year. The municipality reportedly stated that it did not have a water tanker available to deliver drinking water.
She also called for stronger consumer protection in disputes over the accuracy of water meters.
“In this regard, Ordinance No. 4 should introduce an obligation for water and sewerage operators to retain removed water meters for a specified period,” the Ombudsman wrote.
Regarding remote water meter readings, Delcheva warned that consumers are paying twice for the same service. She also called for the transfer of data from remote meter readings between heating billing companies and water and sewerage operators to be provided free of charge to consumers.
The Ombudsman described the absence of a clear oversight mechanism and administrative liability for violations of Ordinance No. 4 as a “particularly significant regulatory gap.”
Ombudsman Delcheva Calls on Regional Development Minister to Strengthen Consumer Protection in Water and Sewerage Services 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-09-21 10:30:57
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