Updated last 18.06.2025
This section provides the following information:
- Information as to who may be connected and who may offer the service;
- Information as to the connection procedure:
- Filing written application from the candidate to the operator to find out what are the terms and conditions for the connection and for the provision of output data;
- Is a design permit required?;
- Development of an investment project;
- Coordination of the investment project for the new water diversion with the water supply operator;
- Conclusion of an agreement for connection to the water supply and sewage systems.
Regulatory framework: Spatial Development Act, ordinance N. 4 of 14.09.2004 on the conditions and procedure for connection of consumers and use of water supply and sewerage systems (“the ordinance”), Water Act, Water supply and sewerage services regulation Act (WSSSRA).
Who can be connected to the water supply network and who can offer the service?
In their capacity as “consumers”, the following may be connected to the water supply network pursuant to Art. 3 of the Ordinance:
- The owners and persons holding established building rights or rights of use, including through concession, of water-supplied properties and/or properties with wastewater and/or stormwater drainage;
- The owners and persons holding established building rights or rights of use of residential and non-residential units in condominium buildings.
- The owners and persons holding established building rights or rights of use of water-supplied facilities located within a single land plot, connected to one water supply branch.
Art. 2 of Ordinance No 4 of 14 September 2004 on the terms and conditions for connection of users and use of the water supply and sewage systems (the “Ordinance”) sets out the providers of the water supply service, namely – commercial entities having as their object of activities water supply, sewage and / or treatment of water, herein referred to as “operators”. A list of the operators providing WSSN services is available on the website of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC).
What is the procedure to connect to the water supply networks?
Filing a written application by the candidate to the operator to find out what are the terms and conditions for the connection and for the provision of output data
The connection to the water supply network is carried out on the basis of an application for obtaining output data and conditions for connection, in the following cases:
- construction of a new site in a property that is not supplied with water;
- water supply to an existing site in a property that is not supplied with water;
- change in the parameters of the water supply to an existing site in a property and/or upon construction of a new site;
- water supply to a property in which no construction is envisaged.
The application is to be submitted by a person, which is a contracting entity within the meaning of art. 161 of the Spatial Development Act (SDA)[1] or its authorized person:
- following the procedure under art. 140а, para. 1 of the SDA – to the authority competent to issue a design permit (see item 2 below), in a form approved by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, or
- directly to the operator, using its form.
The key information and documentation, which has to be provided in the application or enclosed to it, is set out in art. 13, para 3 of the Ordinance:
- Exact administrative address of the water-supplied property (if determined);
- Copy of the ownership document of the holder of the ownership right and/or the established right to build on another’s property;
- Exact property identifier according to the cadastral map and register;
- Copy (excerpt) of the effective detailed development plan;
- Information about existing and planned buildings on the property and their intended use;
- Information on the intended use of water on the property and data on the projected water quantities and pressure for domestic, technological, and fire-fighting needs;
- In the case of industrial installations or economic activity – information on the technological processes in which water is used;
- Expected period for the preparation of the investment project for the water supply connection;
- Proposal for the final deadline for connecting the property to the water supply network;
- Expected period for putting the facility into operation in accordance with the provisions of the Spatial Development Act (SDA) – for newly constructed facilities or for reconstructions, major renovations, or change of use of existing facilities;
- Necessity of providing a temporary water supply service to the construction site during the construction period;
- Manner in which the applicant wishes to receive the initial data and connection conditions – on paper or electronic medium;
Based on the written application the operation performs an inspection in respect of the connection and provides the candidate with the output data and terms of connection within 14 days.
The output data and conditions for connection to the water supply network provided by the operator shall be valid within one year from the entry into force of the design permit, in the case of art. 140a of the SDA, respectively from the date of receipt of the written statement – in the case of direct application to the operator. After the expiry of this period, the output data and the conditions for connection have to be updated, for which the contracting entity will have to submit a new application.
Article 140a of the Spatial Development Act provides for the possibility, with the application for the issuance of a design visa under Article 140, paragraph 1 of the Spatial Development Act for new construction, For example, for a building, the client or their authorized representative can ask for the visa to include the initial data needed for the design and connection to the technical infrastructure networks of the relevant operating companies, describing their investment plans in the application.
The contracting entity or its authorized person may file an application to request the issuance of a design permit, in accordance with art. 140 and art. 140а of the SDA.
The design permit is issued by the chief architect of the municipality, the district governor or the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, depending on the site for which the issuance is requested. For special sites related to the defence and security of the country, a design permit is issued by the relevant minister or chairperson of state agency (art. 140, para. 7 of the SDA).
The design permit is issued within one month from the receipt of the application for its issuance.
On the grounds of art. 140а of the SDA, the applicant may, together with the application for design visa, request to be provided by the respective operators with the output data necessary for the design and for the connection to the technical infrastructure networks, with content in accordance with art. 140, para. 4 of the SDA. In such case, the output data and conditions for connection to the networks, provided by the respective operator, shall be enclosed to the design permit issued as per art. 140а, para. 6 of the SDA.
The provision of Article 140, paragraph 6 of the Spatial Development Act states that no design permit is issued for technical infrastructure facilities*, respectively for the construction of a water pipeline, as such a permit is not required.
Development of an investment project
The water supply and sewerage networks and facilities shall be constructed in accordance with approved designs, in compliance with the general and detailed development plans, the respective specialized schemes related thereto, and the vertical planning plans. Investment projects are developed by designers on the basis of the output data and conditions for connection to the water supply network, provided by the respective operator, and have to comply with the regulatory requirements for design, construction, maintenance and operation of water pipes.
The preparation of the investment project for the water supply diversion is at the expense of the contracting entity under art. 161 of the SDA[1].
Coordination of the investment project for the new water diversion with the water supply operator
Prior to submission for approval by the competent authority under the SDA, the investment project is submitted to the operator together with the investment project of the building WSS installation and/or network located in the property. The operator compares the investment project for the water supply diversion with the issued statement under art. 13, para. 6 of the Ordinance and notifies the applicant of the results of the inspection within 14 days from the receipt of the project. In case of discrepancies with the provided output data or conditions for the connection, the operator shall indicate them and after revision of the project shall perform a double check.
Conclusion of an agreement for connection to the water supply and sewage systems
The conclusion of a connection agreement shall be executed pursuant to Art 84, para. 2 of the SDA and Art. 14b of the Ordinance.
The parties to this agreement are the operating company and they property owner and/or the holder of the limited right to build. It may be concluded personally by them or by and authorized representative based on a notarized power of attorney.
New application in a standard form is filed to the respective operator for signing of an agreement for connection to the water supply and sewage systems (WSS).
To sign a contract for connection to the water supply and sewerage network, you must have:
- Proof of ownership (transfer of building rights).
- A project for building water supply and sewerage connections agreed with the operator (if the property is drained by a cesspool, a project agreed with the municipality for the cesspool must be submitted).
- A notarized power of attorney giving the authorized person the right to sign contracts with the operator.
- Building permit.
- If the connection passes through another property, a notarized agreement between the owners must be attached (under Article 193 of the Spatial Development Act). It must be entered in the property register as an encumbrance on both properties.
After signing of the agreement, the operator ensures the construction of the water supply diversion and connects the site to the water supply system in accordance with the terms and conditions of the signed agreement and in compliance with the regulatory provisions.
Sample information regarding the documentation, content and water tariffs in the process of connection to the water supply network in Sofia Municipality is available on the website of Sofiyska Voda.
A template of an agreement is available on the website of ViK EAD Bourgas.
Please, bear in mind that these documents may differ with the different WSS operators and you have to check the exact templates on the respective website or directly with the respective WSS operator on the territory where your business operates.
| Term | The duration of the connection procedure varies with the different operators, but there are stages, for which there are deadlines set out by regulation:
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| Fee | The fees for the services split by the separate phases of the procedure for the connection to the water supply network are set by the respective water supply company. |
| For more information | |
 | Within 5 working days after putting the construction into exploitation in accordance with the Spatial Development Act, all owners of separate properties, either personally or through a representative, shall submit an application to the operator for opening individual accounts for all separate properties in the connected property that are supplied with water (Article 17, paragraph 1 of the Ordinance). For the provision of a temporary water supply service to the construction site during construction on a property for which the client has submitted an application for connection and there is a technical possibility for this, a separate contract shall be signed between the client and the operator in compliance with the conditions for connection under Article 13, para. 5, item 8 of the Ordinance. Additional information is available on the website of:
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[1] Pursuant to art. 161, para. 1 of the SDA, contracting entity is the owner of the property, the person to whom the right to build in another’s property has been established, and the person who has the right to build in another’s property by virtue of law. The contracting entity or a person, authorised by him, shall ensure everything necessary for starting of the construction.
[*] Within the meaning of § 5, item 31 of the Additional Provisions of the Spatial Development Act, “technical infrastructure” is a system of buildings, facilities, and linear engineering networks for transport, water supply and sewerage, electricity supply, heat supply, gas supply, electronic communications, land improvement, waste treatment, and geoprotection activities.