The National Programme for Construction of Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Republic of Bulgaria

Abstract

Bulgaria is among the Central and East European countries applying for membership in the European Union. One of the priority objectives of the country is getting into compliance with the EU legislation within the shortest possible time. This paper is focused on water protection and water quality management. The description of the current status on the discharge and treatment of urban and industrial wastewater is based on information from the inventory of urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and the sewage network prepared for implementation of the EU Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban wastewater treatment. The total amount of wastewater discharged into water bodies is 878,555,000 m3 per year. The population connected to the urban collection system is 66.8%. The public sewerage discharges treated in urban wastewater treatment plants are 76%. There are 61 operational WWTP in Bulgaria. Some of them are completed, and others need additional measures for extension, reconstruction and modernization, since they operate below their designed capacity. In 1999, the National Program for priority construction of urban WWTP for settlements with over 10,000 equivalent inhabitants in Bulgaria was developed. The objective of the programme is to establish the priorities for construction of urban WWTP for all populated areas in the country with over 10,000 equivalent inhabitants, as well as the national short-term priorities until the year 2006. In 2003, the Implementation Programme for Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban wastewater treatment has been developed. Identification of “sensitive areas” was conducted for all rivers in Bulgaria. Criteria for the construction of collection systems and WWTP are presented.