The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov, together with a group of 4th grade students from the “120 Georgi Rakovski” Primary School, visited the waste water treatment plant in the village of Kubratovo. The reason for the visit is the World Ocean Day, which is marked every year on June 8.

The minister and the students traveled together to the treatment plant. On the bus they talked about the protection of the environment and the vulnerability of our planet. “We all have fun with movies where people travel on spaceships and jump from planet to planet. However, this is fiction. The reality is we only have one planet – one home. If we keep it clean, the Earth will treat us well, and we will enjoy beautiful nature and healthy living. If not, our lives will become more and more difficult,” explained the Minister.

During the trip Borislav Sandov spoke about waste separation, processing of paper and plastic, the need to reduce our waste. The Minister spoke also about water purification and the need to use water wisely and save resources. “The cleanest energy is the energy saved,” he said.

In Kubratovo, the students and Minister Sandov were welcomed by the management of Sofiiska Voda AD, part of the Veolia company. The Executive Director of Sofiiska Voda AD Vasil Trenev, the Regional Director of Veolia for Bulgaria Francois Deberg, and a team from the company guided the guests and told them in detail how the water of the capital is purified.

The treatment plant in the village of Kubratovo is the most modern in our country. It is there that the waste water of Sofia goes through a number of high-tech treatment processes. Methane gas is produced from the waste product, which generates electricity and heat in a cogeneration system. Thus, the station fully covers its energy needs and even produces excess electricity.

The path of water from our homes to the world’s oceans is long and complicated, and how clean the water is when it returns to our homes depends on each of us. Waste water treatment is a challenge in many parts of the world, but with more care and better organization, waste can become a valuable resource.