Balgarianovinite.com The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) will encourage the consolidation of Bulgaria’s water sector through new secondary legislation, to improve service quality and keep socially affordable prices.
The regulator held a public consultation on a draft ordinance on incentives for water operators that have already been consolidated or are in the process of consolidation.
Of all the invited stakeholders, including government institutions, municipalities, and industry organizations, only Maya Dubrovska, head of department at the Bulgarian Water Holding, attended the consultation, according to the regulator’s press office.
The draft secondary legislation implements the water supply and wastewater reform commitments under Bulgaria’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The initiative follows amendments to the Water Act, adopted on June 8 this year, and to the Water Supply and Sewerage Services Regulation Act. These amendments introduce a legal definition of the consolidation of designated water and wastewater service areas, a methodology for assessing consolidation opportunities, and a framework for regulatory incentives.
The aim is to encourage the voluntary consolidation of the designated service areas through economic incentives, while achieving higher quality of water and wastewater services, optimizing costs, and establishing socially affordable prices, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission said.
The Commission is expected to apply the incentives during the process of approving the business plans of water operators. Depending on the selected incentive, the water regulator will recognize as economically justified the costs directly related to consolidation, and these costs may be spread over a period of up to three years.
Business plans that include a consolidation process will be reviewed and approved as a priority. They are also expected to be eligible for approval for a longer period. Amendments to already approved business plans will likewise be reviewed with priority when they are related to the consolidation process.
In such cases, the regulator will issue a decision within 60 days of receiving the application, the EWRC added.
The Commission will recognize the planned investments that are directly related to the consolidation process, namely those aimed at integrating the connected water and wastewater systems and assets, constructing connecting infrastructure, modernizing facilities, implementing common information systems, and other related activities.
When the reported investments in the newly integrated service area exceed the investments planned for the consolidation period, the companies will receive a positive financial adjustment during the annual revisions of approved prices or revenues.
At the public consultation, the representative of Bulgarian Water Holding supported the proposed draft ordinance, emphasizing that it had been prepared by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commissionin a timely manner.
Participants in the public consultation, as well as other interested parties, may submit written opinions on the draft to the Commission within 14 days.
The EWRC is expected to make the final decision on the regulatory act at a closed meeting on August 24. Regulator to Incentivize Water Operator Consolidation 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-06 10:25:45 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
