The construction boom alongside the Bulgarian Black Sea coastline over the past years and the tourist influx have become the reason for the building of new water treatment plants at some coastal settlements. The issue with the pollution of sea water around some resorts has grown to a degree that is not favorable to tourism. The good news this year is that the new treatment plants near Varna and Pomorie have been commissioned on time and four of the already existing ones are being expanded and modernized with funding under the Environment 2007 – 2013 OP. The investment in treatment facilities for this summer season alone comes up to the tune of some EUR 150 million. “Specialized inspections of the water are carried out all the time and now its quality has started to improve in the areas where the treatment plants are working,” says Deputy Director of the Environment Chief Directorate with the Ministry of Environment and Waters Mrs. Svetlana Zhekova:

“The complaints received by Bulgarian and foreign tourists on dirty waters at sea now should stay in the past, at least for the regions with special facilities. The goal of these plants is to treat industrial and household effluents. After the processing those will be returned to nature without pollution. The new facilities and technologies should guarantee healthy environment for the people and protection of nature and biodiversity, which is Bulgaria’s wealth. The reconstruction of the treatment plant at Ravda /Southern Black Sea coastline/ is now over and it works for around 150,000 tourists during the season, along with some 30,000 locals. However, the digits are not that important, but the reflection of the projects on the overall quality of life.”

According to comparative data, seawater along the northern Black Sea segment is much cleaner than along the southern coastline. This is a fact that tourists are aware of and that is why any investment in treatment facilities is a reason for optimism, as far as the local people are concerned. The tourist season is now in full swing, the people of Chernomoretz and Sozopol register with content – the towns are two of the most popular southern destinations. “The speech of Czechs, Germans and Polish people can be heard more and more often in the streets, which marks the return of tourists that were traditionally guests in the past,” says Sozopol’s Deputy Mayor Petya Chepevova, adding that:

“The completion of the wastewater treatment plant is one of the largest projects for this town. It is worth EUR 75 million and the budget of Sozopol Municipality is EUR 15 million. That is why the EU funds have turned into something really precious for a municipality like ours. The treatment plant that is soon to be commissioned is for 64,500 people and will seize the effluent of neighboring Chernomoretz, which also grows very quickly. A new neighborhood – Misarya is being built within Sozopol and new hotels and apartments are put up there. This means that treatment technologies will have to be expanded in the future. The good thing is that there are no enterprises on our territory and the sea is not polluted by industrial waste. The problem with household waste pollution during the summer season was felt the most. Sozopol grows in summer to 100,000 people and not the usual 10,000 local inhabitants. The only measure, regarding wastewaters was their taking away deep into the sea. Now the technology will also allow that, but the effluent will be cleaned via modern technologies of world standard. The change can be already felt and as of the next tourist season we will welcome our guests with a totally safe environment of the Sozopol water area."

English version: Zhivko Stanchev