SOFIA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria plans to invest 1.062 billion Bulgarian leva (0.56 billion U.S. dollars) to build and upgrade water supply and sewerage infrastructures in 21 agglomerations, according to contracts signed by the government and private sectors on Monday.

The contracts were signed by Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov and the heads of the regional subsidiaries of the Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding in cities and administrative centers of Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Pleven, Sofia, Targovishte, Haskovo and Dobrich.

Under the agreements, the funds will be allocated for the construction or upgrade of ten sewage treatment plants, 223.89 km of sewerage network, six drinking water treatment plants, and 298.4 km of water supply network.

According to Genov, these investments are expected to greatly reduce water losses in the respective regions. He noted that the ministry is monitoring water levels in the dams used for drinking, irrigation, and energy.

"The situation is currently the same as last year, and this is a prerequisite for extremely delicate management of water quantities," he said, hoping for increased snow cover by winter's end and a wetter spring.

Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov, who attended the ceremony, said the water supply problems have been plaguing Bulgaria lately due to climate change and aging infrastructure.

"Our great expectations are that this investment, at least in these regions, will largely solve this problem," Ivanov said.

According to the Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding, which supplies drinking water to 74 percent of the country's population, last year recorded a peak in water shortages. During the week from Sept. 2 to 9, 2024, over 300,000 people, or 6.79 percent of the company's clients, were subject to water rationing. Enditem

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