The pieces of information which surfaced in the press according to which the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMAP) would have been aware of the risk of water supply being cut in Prahova county and would have ignored the warnings are false, the institution's representatives argue in a release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday.
They mentioned that in the past hours, incorrect interpretations emerged in the public space, as well as false statements regarding the technical documents drafted in October and November, in the context of the situation at the Paltinu dam.
In this regard the MMAP brought clarification regarding the content of these documents and the responsibilities of the institutions involved.
In respect to the minute of the technical meeting on 22 October 2025, the relevant minister underscored the fact that the document presented in the press is the minute of a technical meeting carried out at the Paltinu dam between the National Administration "Apele Romane" (Romanian Waters) (ANAR), Buzau-Ialomita Water Basin Administration (ABA), Prahova Water Management System (SGA), Hidoroelectrica, the National Commission for the Safety of Dams and Hydraulic Works (CONSIB), experts of the diving company and ESZ Prahova water operator.
"At this meeting, the specialists noted that the repair works at GF2 can temporarily determine an increase in turbidity in the raw water reaching the Voila Treatment Plant. At no point, ESZ Prahova, the only institution which is treating the water for consumption, informed the participants or conveyed to the MMAP that such an increase in turbidity could lead to the impossibility to treat the water and, implicitly, interrupt the supply of drinking water," the release mentioned.
Although it has the legal and professional obligation to announce any situation that might endanger the continuity of water treatment, ESZ Prahova: did not signal the risks it now invokes, did not present the technological limits of the treatment plant, did not inform that high turbidity would make treatment impossible and did not implement any preventive measures (reserves, buffer storage, alternative sources), the institution's representatives argue.
"The claim that the MMAP 'knew' that the population would be left without water is false. The document of 22 October contains no warning, remark or note signed by ESZ Prahova regarding the impossibility of treating water in the event of increased turbidity, although it is the only structure with the exclusive responsibility to signal any inability to ensure water potabilisation," they pointed out.
Regarding the Decision no. 9 of the Prahova County Committee for Emergency Situations (CJSU) (6 November 2025), the MMAP says that the CJSU document quoted in the press refers strictly to the operational risk generated by the GF2 bottom outlet failure, caused by the technical incident of 17 June 2025.
According to the quoted source, the decision did not warn of a risk of supply interruption because of the lowering of the water levels following works for the Paltinu Lake, but of a risk of drinking water supply interruption if this work had not been carried out.
The institution brings to mind that the operator had the legal and contractual obligation to: maintain minimum water reserves (the Clean Water Basin non-functional since 2017), immediately report any technological limit of the plant, assess the impact of turbidity on the treatment process, inform the MMAP, the ANAR and local authorities in the event of a possible interruption and activate alternative sources.
None of these obligations were fulfilled, the MMAP showed in the release.
The institution mentioned that it will continue to make public all the relevant documents and has ordered inspections through the Control Body to clarify the responsibilities that led to this situation.
Tens of thousands of people in several localities from Prahova and Dambovita counties have been left without drinking water since Friday, 28 November, following works at the Paltinu reservoir.
Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests Diana Buzoianu announced on Wednesday that the delivery of drinking water to the affected localities will resume on Monday, 8 December.
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