The corner stone was laid last Monday by the minister of environment and water. The two facilities tenders have been re-launched in 2005, the contracts were singed last year. The project in Shumen provides for extension of an existing facility as a part of ISPA measure for improvement of the water cycle in town for EUR 30.13m of them 75% co-financed by ISPA and 25% national co-financing. The completion deadline is 34 months, the deadline is May 2010. The contractor is the Italian-Bulgarian consortiaum Uniland-Sikonko, the supervision is carried out by a consortium of two German companies - DIWI Consult - Idgip. The wastewater treatment plant in Popovo is a part of ISPA measure for six projects for such facilities in Burgas - Meden Rudnik, Targovishte, Lovech, Montana, Sevlievo and Popovo. The total is EUR 10,878,188 of them 75% are a grant and 25% - Bulgarian co-financing. Its capacity will be 37,720 inhabitants. The construction contract is EUR 9,638,260 with the Austrian Alpine Bau, construction supervisor is the Danish-Bulgarian consortium Rambol - Niras - BT Engineering. The completion deadline is June 2009.