Euronews reports from Pernik, a Bulgarian town where thousands are left without water due to suspected mismanagement at the top.
Bulgaria’s government faces a no-confidence vote in parliament as taps run dry for thousands of people near Sofia.
The motion was filed by Bulgarian Socialist Party on Monday against the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Environment Minister Neno Dimov was arrested and sacked earlier this month.
He is charged with deliberate mismanagement and suspected of letting Pernik’s town water supply be syphoned off for industrial use, prosecutors said.
The water crisis started in November and may not end until April.
Pernik residents are struggling to get their basic water needs met on a day-to-day basis.
Mihaela Ivailova, the director of a local kindergarten, told Euronews that the school stored water when it came out at 3pm for cleaning and sanitation until the following day. But delays were not unusual, she added.
Residents in Pernik have been protesting the water shortages for weeks.
Newly appointed mayor Stanislav Vladimorov deplored that civilian reservoirs were supplied at the expense of industrial ones.
"The priority is to supply civilians first," he told Euronews.
Pernik’s main steel factory did not respond to Euronews’ request for comments.