With discussions and presentations on important topics for Bulgaria – water management and climate change and water resources in Bulgaria, BAS is celebrating World Water Day – 22 March. The event, which continues tomorrow on the occasion of World Meteorology Day, is organised by the Climate, Atmosphere and Water Research Institute at BAS.

“Groundwater – making the invisible visible” is the official theme of World Water Day 2022, announced the Director of the Institute, Corr. Mem. Ekaterina Bachvarova.

The Vice-President of BAS Corr. Mem. Evdokia Pasheva opened the scientific forum and on behalf of the Academy’s Management Board welcomed the celebration of World Water Day and tomorrow’s World Meteorology Day. Although recently established, the Climate, Atmosphere and Water Research Institute is a major research unit in the field of meteorology in Bulgaria, said Prof. Pasheva. She pointed out that the scientific analyses and assessments of the scientists at the institute related to water are the basis for studying the problems and indicating the prospects for water management in Bulgaria.

The celebration is held with the partnership of ministries and in cooperation with other scientific institutes of BAS, the Faculty of Hydraulic Engineering of the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, the Bulgarian Water Association, professional organisations and projects.

I am glad that the scientific community, the executive and legislative authorities and the professional organisations together have the opportunity to discuss the problems and prospects for water management in Bulgaria, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Grozdan Karadjov. We rely on your constructive proposals which will contribute to a closer link between science and practice, he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policies and Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov noted that groundwater is part of the circulatory system of hydrology and the hydrosphere as a whole and is extremely important for households, agriculture and industry and its protection is essential for generations.

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Water Manol Genov and Deputy Minister of Education and Science Acad. Konstantin Hadjiivanov also congratulated the participants in the forum.

Research on groundwater in Bulgaria, the new approach for the management of hazardous substances in the waters of the basin of the river Danube, innovative technologies in the construction and rehabilitation of water supply networks, Mid Mix technology for the treatment of sewage sludge from WWTP, the use of geothermal energy of mineral waters are some of the topics discussed during the scientific forum. A roundtable discussion was also held to look at the prospects for the development of the water sector in Bulgaria.

Tomorrow, 23 March 2022, a discussion will be held on the occasion of World Meteorology Day. The event will start at 10:00. The official theme is “Early Warning and Early Action. Hydrometeorological and climate information for disaster risk reduction”.