The diggers are out in Nov Dojran. The Municipality of Dojran has started repairing the water network at several locations in the settlement, with the stated aim of delivering more stable pressure and a better flow of water to people's homes.

New water mains and new household connections are going in precisely where breakdowns have been most frequent. "This intervention puts an end to the frequent breakdowns and improves and stabilises the water supply," the municipality says, adding that maintenance costs and supply cuts will also go down.

The municipality announces that investment in the water and sewage networks will continue wherever it is needed.

It's a good thing when pipes get replaced before they burst rather than after. But the announcement contains neither a price tag nor a deadline. In a town on the shore of a lake, tap water shouldn't be a matter of luck - so how many residents put up with those "frequent breakdowns" before someone finally brought in an excavator?