The document summarizes the mission, structure, activities, and partnerships of the Bulgarian Water Association (BWA). BWA aims to assist in developing responsible water policy in Bulgaria through expertise and training. It organizes conferences and provides information to its 258 individual and 105 corporate members. BWA also partners with national organizations and international water associations to support the water and wastewater sector, which needs significant investment in infrastructure to address high water losses and outdated treatment plants. BWA is well-positioned to help reorganize and develop the sector through its expertise, education programs, and involvement in projects.

1. First IWA-Bulgarian Young Water Professionals
Conference
BULGARIAN WATER ASSOCIATION
Sofia, 17 May 2012
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2. Bulgarian Water Association - BWA
CONTENTS
• Short information about BWA
– Mission, structure and activities of BWA
– National and international partners
– Membership of BWA at International organizations
• Water and Wastewater (W&W) Sector in Bulgaria
– Brief introduction
– Current reorganization and development
• Conclusions
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3. Bulgarian Water Association – mission, structure
and activities
Mission
Through the authority and expertise of the water experts in the country
to actively assist in the development and pursuing of nationally
responsible and European-oriented water policy in Bulgaria.
Structure
- General Assembly
– Governing Board
– Control Committee
– Secretariat
– National Expert Committee
– Standing Committees – 10
Membership
– Individual members –258
– Corporate members – 105
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4. Bulgarian Water Association – mission, structure
and activities
Activities of BWA
• Assistance for implementation of leading-edge technologies, methods
and organizational structures in the water sector.
• Training of staff in the water sector.
• Organization of international and national conferences, workshops,
round tables, technical presentations and other events.
• Organization of the National Expert Committee’s activities.
• Information collection and dissemination among the members of BWA
– news, events, projects, regulations.
• Assistance in joint ventures between Bulgarian and foreign companies.
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5. Bulgarian Water Association - BWA
National partners of BWA
• Governmental and parliamentary authorities
• University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy,
Sofia
• National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
• Union of Operators in the Water&Wastewater Sector
• Regional and municipal water&wastewater utilities
• National Association of Municipalities
• Design, construction, consultancy and trade companies
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6. Bulgarian Water Association - BWA
International partners of BWA
• National water/wastewater associations of Austria,
Germany, Greece, Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Russia,
Romania, Serbia, Hungary, etc.
• Italian Association of Engineering, Architectural and
Consultancy Companies - OICE
• Veolia Water / “Sofijska Woda” JSC
• British Water – UK
• Siemens
• HOBAS - Bulgaria
• WILO – Bulgaria
• Hawle Armaturen – Bulgaria
• DHI - Bulgaria
• Alfa Laval – Bulgaria
• Others
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7. Bulgarian Water Association - BWA
Membership of BWA at International
organizations
• International Water Association - IWA
• European Water Association - EWA
• Federation of the National Associations for Water and
Wastewater Services – EUREAU
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8. Bulgarian Water Association – mission, structure
and activities
Selected events organized by BWA or with assistance of BWA
• Participation of BWA in the International exhibition and conference
“WASSER BERLIN”; March/April 2009, Berlin; Bulgaria – co-
organizer; May 2011, Berlin, BWA – participant
• International conference “Public-Private Partnership in the Water Sector
in Bulgaria”, Sofia, April 2010; co-organizers – French Embassy in Sofia
and BWA
• Fourth International Conference BULAQUA2011 and exhibition Water
Sofia; co-organizers: Bulgarreklama, Wasser Berlin and Inter Expo and
Congress Centre, April 2011, Sofia.
• International workshops and exhibitions “Problems in the Water Supply
Systems: Water Losses”; co-organizers - UNW-CDP, UN- HABITAT;
November 2009, November 2010, November 2011, Sofia
• National conference “Wastewater Treatment Plants Construction –
Challenges and Opportunities”; co-organisers – BWA and Chamber of
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Construction Firms in Bulgaria; December 2011 , Sofia.

9. Infrastructure assets of Water & Wastewater Sector in
Bulgaria
Water Supply Systems
• About 99 % of the population is served by the water supply
systems maintained by water supply & wastewater collection
utilities (water utilities) in the country;
• The total length of the pipelines, maintained by the water
utilities is about 73 530 km;
• 7About 4 % of pipelines are made of asbestos-cement;
• About 91% of pipelines have been put in operation by 1970;
– Only 0,55 % of the pipelines are built in the latest 5 years;
– Only 2,2 % of the pipelines are reconstructed in the latest 5 years;
• Average water losses are 61,3 %;
• About 46% of the drinking water is treated in 42 drinking
water treatment plants (DWTP).
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10. Infrastructure assets of Water & Wastewater Sector
in Bulgaria
Water Supply Systems
Specific water consumtion
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11. Infrastructure Leakage Index - ILI
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12. Long-term Level of water Losses
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13. Infrastructure assets of Water & Wastewater Sector
in Bulgaria
Wastewater collection and treatment systems
• In average, about 70 % of the population is connected to
wastewater collection systems managed by the water
utilities
• In 80% of towns, about 95% of the population is connected
to a sewer system;
• In 2.5% of villages, about 9% of the population is
connected to a sewer system;
• The total length of sewerage operated by the water utilities
is about 10 120 km;
• About 92% of sewerage are concrete or reinforced
concrete pipes;
• About 90 % of sewerage is put in operation before 1990;
• About 70 % of the wastewater in the collection systems is
treated in 79 WWTP. About 2/3 of them need
reconstruction. 13

14. Infrastructure assets of Water & Wastewater Sector
in Bulgaria
Wastewater collection and treatment systems
(cont’d)
• In average, about 46 % of the population is connected to
WWTPs, operated by water utilities;
• Only 93 towns are connected to WWTPs;
• The total number of WWTPs operated by water utilities is
79, of them 67 have secondary (biological) treatment;
• Totally 358 WWTPs should be put in operation by 2015
for settlements with more than 2000 PE.
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15. Fixed assets in Water & Wastewater Sector in
Bulgaria
Water intake and GDP
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16. Fixed assets in Water & Wastewater Sector in
Bulgaria
GDP versus water withdrowned
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17. Fixed assets in Water & Wastewater Sector in
Bulgaria
Expenditures of the householders in percentage of their income
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18. Current Development of Water&Wastewater Sector
in Bulgaria
• Water Act (1999) -amendments in June 2009
o Introduce articles for Water & Wastewater Sector
regulation;
o Impose a new regulation for:
 Assets properties transfer to municipalities;
 Establishment of so called “W&W Associations”, managed
jointly by the state and relevant municipalities in so called
“specific areas”;
 W&W utilities reorganization.
• Water & Wastewater Associations duties:
o To organize development of regional master plans and
finance plans;
o To hire W&W operator for relevant “specific areas”
o To control funds utilization and to report to the
Government 18

19. Current Development of Water&Wastewater Sector
in Bulgaria
• Strategy for Water Sector Development by 2025
(under public discussion)
o Scope – National water resources management
o Responsibility of Ministry of Environment and Waters
• Strategy for Water & Wastewater Sector
Development (under contracting)
o Scope - Water & Wastewater Sector reorganization and
development
o Responsibility of Ministry of Regional Development
and Public Works
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20. BWA – GWP Collaboration Opportunities
CONCLUSIONS
• The Water and Wastewater Sector in Bulgaria has a great potential
for investments, management development, capacity building and
education
• The vast amount of the necessary investments are expected from EU
funds and public-private participation (PPP)
• Bulgarian Water Association (BWA) has to play an important role in
the current reorganization and development of the Water &
Wastewater Sector through:
o Expertise
o Training and education
o Mediation
o Direct involvement
• BWA is open for partnership with similar organizations in EU in
fulfillment of it’s mission for the National Water Sector development
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21. Bulgarian Water Association - BWA
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