“The registration of a well does not require a deed, a map of the property, an identity card, or any other document. The only document required is a completed application for registration of a well for own needs.” This was said by the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Petar Dimitrov today at an online meeting with representatives of municipalities and regional administrations on issues related to the registration of water abstraction facilities for own needs.

The purpose of the registration is for the Basin Directorates, which are part of the Ministry of the Environment and Water, to receive up-to-date information on the number and location of groundwater facilities in the relevant area under their management, in order to ensure the fair use of water resources. The requirement to register wells as water-abstracting facilities is in compliance with the Water Act.

The application is submitted to the Basin Directorate, on whose territory the property with the well is located – “West Aegean Region”, “Black Sea Region”, “Danube Region”, and “East Aegean Region”. The application for registration of a well for own needs can also be submitted through the mayor of a municipality, district mayor, mayor of a townhall or a mayor’s deputy in accordance with the location of the well, who issues a submission number for each application and each 14 days forward the applications to the relevant Basin Directorate.

There is no registration fee for water-abstracting facilities used for citizens’ own needs.

This registration applies to wells, whereby the water is used for domestic purposes,  irrigation, and raising animals for the needs of the household. The use of water up to 10 cubic meters per day from registered wells in populated areas is for free. No water meters are required and no government fees or taxes are payable on these wells.

In reaction to the specific questions that have been brought up locally, Deputy Minister Petar Dimitrov and the Basin directorates are organizing online meetings. On Tuesday, such a meeting was held from Varna with the participation of Yavor Dimitrov, director of the Basin Directorate “Black Sea Region”. Tomorrow, the “Danube Region” Basin Directorate in Pleven will hold an online meeting with representatives of the municipal authorities at 11 a.m. Similar online meetings are to be held in Blagoevgrad - on Wednesday, and in Plovdiv - on Friday. The first online meeting on the topic was held a week ago with the participation of the Minister of Environment and Water Rositsa Karamfilova, who answered questions from representatives of regional administrations and municipalities.

The deadline for submitting applications for registration of facilities for both personal and business needs is November 28th. Detailed information and the registration application form are available on the websites of the four Basin Directorates. See information about the basin directorates at https://www.moew.government.bg/bg/kontakti/basejnovi-direkcii/