Agricultural water supply
According to the Water Management Act, agricultural water supply is the activity of supplying water for the irrigation of agricultural and forestry land, for fish ponds and other agricultural water uses, and for other purposes related to the agricultural water supply system.
At present, 11 of the 12 water management directorates in Hungary provide regular agricultural water services, in 75 agricultural water supply systems and 129 water supply units.
Location of agricultural water supply units
A water service unit refers to a water supply and distribution canal network, along with its associated structures, connected to a common water supply or distribution point, which together form a unified system in terms of operation. An agricultural water service (irrigation) system, on the other hand, comprises one or more water service units and consists of all water facilities that provide agricultural water services connected to a common surface water source.
Pricing of water for agricultural use
Agricultural water utilization can be divided into two main parts. On the one hand, water used for arable crops and rice production and, on the other hand, water used for pond farming (fish ponds). The different water uses are accounted for by different charging methods, which are set out in legislation. For water used for arable crops and rice, there are two types of charges: a basic charge, which covers the permanent costs of ensuring availability, and a changing charge, which is calculated on the basis of the cost of the water used in proportion to the quantity of water used. The basic and changing charges are determined per water service unit. At present, 50% of the permanent cost is provided by the State budget (subject to the conditions laid down in the legislation) while the remaining 50% and the total changing charge have to be paid by the agricultural water user.
As an exception, agricultural water users pay a fee of HUF 1 500 per hectare for ponds based on the area of the pond covered by their water management licence, not on the volume of water used. By way of derogation, the government may cover the costs of agricultural water users, as has been the case on several occasions.
Permitted and actually irrigated areas (1990-2024)
Agricultural water users holding a water permit submit their water demand notifications to the water management directorates at the beginning of the year. Based on the data of water quantities allocated in the water permits and those ordered for the given year, cost calculations are prepared, which are approved by the General Directorate of Water Management (OVF).
Agricultural water service providers perform the operation and maintenance of agricultural water supply facilities as a core task. The details of agricultural water services are stipulated in a service contract between the agricultural water service provider and the agricultural water user. Unless otherwise agreed by the operator and the water user, the water utilization season lasts from March 1 to October 31 for irrigation, and from March 1 to November 30 for fish farming.
Prolonged Water Scarcity Period, Exceptional Water Use for Irrigation
The minister responsible for water management announces the start and end of a prolonged water scarcity period by official notice. The decision is based on soil water balance data from agricultural land and hydro-meteorological forecasts. During a prolonged water scarcity period, water users are exempt from paying the water resource contribution (VKJ) for water used for irrigation, fish farming, and rice production. Additionally, they have the opportunity to apply for extraordinary water use for irrigation.
Exceptional water use for irrigation is defined as the application, during a prolonged water scarcity period, of a maximum of 120 mm/hectare (1,200 m3/hectare) of water for irrigation purposes, over an area not exceeding 100 hectares, directly from surface water using temporary pumping equipment, for a continuous period not exceeding one month.
Irrigation Development
To expand the state water supply required for the development of agricultural irrigation, agricultural and water management organizations have designated 104 areas for irrigation development projects to be implemented between 2020 and 2030. The primary aim of these projects is to adapt existing channels to meet irrigation water demands, which includes the reconstruction of riverbeds, hydraulic structures, and pumping stations, as well as the construction of new hydraulic structures and the development of new channel sections.