The Construction of the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Dimitrovgrad begins

The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Asen Gagauzov marked the official launch of the construction of the water treatment plant (WWTP) in the town of Dimitrovgrad. The beginning of the construction works on the new facility became in the presence of Mr. Ruud van Enck who is Acting Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Bulgaria. The WWTP construction is part of the implementation of the project called “Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Maritsa River Basin”. This project will finance the construction of WWTPs and the related sewerage infrastructures in the towns of Stara Zagora, Dimitrovgrad and Haskovo. The WWTP construction in the three towns will provide а treatment of household and industrial water in a region with a population of more than 350, 000. The beneficiary towns of Stara Zagora, Dimitrovgrad i Haskovo, have an extensive sewerage network but lack water treatment facilities. At the moment the waste waters of Dimitrovgrad and Stara Zagora are being discharged without treatment in the Maritsa river. The cost of the WWTPs in Dimitrovgrad and Stara Zagora exceeds ? 19 million. 75 % of the financing (? 14, 665, 556 ) is provided under the ISPA Programme, 15 % (? 2, 933, 111) by the European Investment Bank, and 10 % (?1, 955, 408) – by the Bulgarian Government. The European Investment Bank is entirely financing the construction of the third WWTP in Haskovo with ? 17, 123, 558 (exclusive of VAT). The project objective is reducing the pollution of Maritsa river and its tributaries along with the ensuing improvement of water quality in the Aegean sea. The WWTP construction contracts include the design, building and delivery of the fully completed and functioning waste water plants. The construction of the WWTPs in Stara Zagora and Dimitrovgrad will be carried out by the German joint venture Heitkamp, and the consultancy will be provided by the joint venture DALEM / DIVI / DATA. The construction of the WWTPs in the three towns should be completed by in 2007. Public Relations and International Activities Directorate