Legislation in Bulgaria

 

 According to the Bulgarian laws and regulations term“mineral waters” is defined as natural pure underground waters in accessible for technical and economical activities hydrogeological space inthe bowels of the Earth, which differ essentially and authentically

from theconsidered regional standards for other ground waters by its soluble substance composition and its energy, and because of these features could be used in balneology, tourism and other economic fields.

Republic of Bulgaria is rich of mineral waters.  More than 200 sources of mineral water with temperatures of 20^o C to 100^o C have been discovered.

The various geological conditions under which the Bulgarian mineral waters formed its composition and temperature define the presence of specific components such as  J^-, Br^-, B, As, F^-, Fe, N₂,CO₂, H₂S, H₂SiO₃, radon, etc.

Due to that, our mineral waters are used for: relaxation, prevention, rehabilitation and treatment in spa and tourist centers, bottling of mineral waters and production of soft drinks, space heating and greenhouses, extraction of valuable elements, cultivation of aquacultures and other technical and technological applications.

The wide range of mineral waters’ chemical composition together with the modern technologies allows an effective and profitable application in the whole spectrum of their qualities by cascade schemes of use simultaneously in several directions. The complex cascade use of mineral waters increases the quality and effectiveness of each application.

 

Mineral waters in Bulgaria are exclusively state or public municipality property. The law frame for managing mineral waters includes:

 

Law on state property

Law on municipality property

Law on concessions

Law on water

 

By definition, mineral waters that are exclusively state property are the ones listed in the Annex N⁰2 of the Law on water. They are managed by the Ministry Council, Ministry of the Environment and Water, as well as by the Basin directorates in compliance with the Law on concessions (2006) and Law on water (1999).

Water application for healing and prevention activities has the first priority in giving permits according to the Law on water.

To be able to get a permit for thermal water use, which is exclusively state property, it is necessary:

- to gain concession from the Ministry Council in compliance with the Law on concessions and Law on water, valid for a maximum of 35 years and in the cases when the mineral water is going to be used for:

-  bottling of mineral water and/or production of soft drinks using mineral water.

- extraction of chemicals, substances or derivates.

- production of geothermal energy from systems of installed capacity more than 5 MW

- to obtain a 25 years period of water exploitation permit in compliance with the Law on waters, in the cases when the mineral water is going to be used for one or more purposes, which are different from the ones required for concessions.

 

Mineral waters which are public municipality property are defined as waters from sources not listed in Appendix N^o2 of the Law on water. They are managed by the respective municipalities according to the Law on public property.

 

To gain a right to run public property mineral waters one need to have won a municipality concession according to the Law on concessions, valid for maximum of 35 years.

 

Binding requirements for having a legal right for mineral water use – either state-owned or municipality-owned are to provide evidence of:

- Approved thermal water and geothermal energy resources by the Minister of Environment and Water for the deposit and the installed technical facility.

-  Approved by the Minister of Environment and Water protection zone of the installed technical facility in case of water use for healing, prevention, water supply, bottling, domestic use, sport and recreation.