Emergency decision in the water crisis in Prahova and Dâmboviţa: Drinking water will be removed from the state reserves

More than 100,000 people from Prahova and Dâmboviţa have not received water in the centralized system since Friday, after the water in the Paltinu dam rose by approximately 12 meters, and the water still cannot be properly treated to become potable. To defuse the situation, the National Committee for Emergency Situations adopted a new decision.

“The National Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU) adopted, on December 2, 2025, Decision No. 33, which approves the withdrawal of some quantities of drinking water from the state reserves, with a view to granting as internal emergency humanitarian aid, free of charge, to the affected administrative-territorial units and institutions in Prahova and Dâmboviţa counties, to ensure the minimum living conditions of the population”, announces, on Wednesday morning, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, quoted by News.ro.

The decision was issued “in the context of the situation generated by the drop in the water level in the Paltinu reservoir caused by the scheduled hydrotechnical works at the dam, combined with the increase in turbidity and the volume of alluvium determined by the hydrological phenomena associated with the Orange Code, elements that affected the quality of raw water and forced the interruption of drinking water supply in 12 localities in Prahova County and one locality in Dâmboviţa County, affecting the living conditions of the population”.

The water transport will be carried out by the National Administration of State Reserves and Special Problems, with the support of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, and the distribution to the population will be carried out by the local public authorities, with the support of the structures for emergency situations in the two counties.

“The measures adopted aim to ensure the continuity of support for the affected population and the effective management of the situation created until the safe restoration of the drinking water supply. We remind you that, starting from November 30, 2025, following Decision No. 32 of the National Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU), the distribution of the first quantities of drinking water to the affected localities began, and the emergency inspectorates they mobilized special vehicles to support the sanitary units and communities facing the lack of water”, IGSU also specified.

The problem may last another week

The supply is stopped in the localities of Câmpina, Breaza, Băicoi, Adunati, Poiana Câmpina, Şotrile, Băneşti, Brebu, Telega, Vărbilău, Aluniş and partially in Floreşti commune in Prahova county, the situation having a direct impact on tens of thousands of people.

Apele Române accused the administrator of the local water system, ESZ Prahova, of knowing since October that there was a risk that people would run out of drinking water as a result of the works in the area, but did not take action.

“ESZ Prahova has been informed since the end of October about the risk of increasing water turbidity, both during the lowering of the level in the lake and during the unclogging works”, said ANAR representatives.

At the same time, Apele Române accused the zonal operator, i.e. Exploatarea Sistem Zonal Prahova, of not carrying out a series of works that belonged to it, according to an agreement concluded in 2017.

Among the obligations, the institution claims, is also the creation of a buffer-accumulation of clean water for the Voila water treatment station in the area, in flood situations, as well as the maintenance of the catchment facilities.

Now, the work on the Paltinu dam cannot be resumed, because the water level cannot be lowered further, Apele Române reports.

At the same time, the institution says that it has carried out certain works so that the supply of drinking water to the population does not last more than a week, but “the failure to solve and postpone the problems at the Paltinu dam will continue to create raw water supply problems for the next 6 months”.