Buzau: 59,000 cubic meters of water allocated to agriculture by Apele Romane, 20 million RON collected

The Buzau-Ialomita Water Basin Administration (ABA) allocated over 59,000 cubic meters of water to agriculture this year, the largest quantity being distributed for irrigation, while also collecting over 20 million RON from the sale of water to beneficiaries from various fields of activity.

According to the ABA, the right to use surface or groundwater is established by the water management authorization. The tariffs are calculated according to the resource used by the beneficiary, surface or groundwater, for drinking water, for technological purposes for industrial economic operators, for the production of electricity and heat, for irrigation, aquaculture, for the potential ensured for hydropower purposes and for the exploitation of mineral aggregates. To these is added the contribution related to general administration, maintenance and development expenses.

"In 2024, ABA Buzau-Ialomita collected from the application of the two categories of specific contributions mentioned above the amount of 48,115,088 lei, and in the first half of 2025 the receipts were 20,576,781 lei. Of the amounts mentioned, the largest receipts are recorded from surface water resources (rivers, the Danube River) used by economic operators and electricity producers through hydroelectric power plants, and for underground water resources, those used by public utility service operators who use water for drinking purposes," ABA Buzau-Ialomita told AGERPRES.

Significant volumes of water were allocated for agricultural irrigation, the main source being groundwater.

"For agricultural uses operating in Buzau County, administered by ABA Buzau-Ialomiţa, approximately 59,000 cubic meters of water were allocated for 2025, both from underground and surface sources, approximately 8,000 cubic meters of water more than in 2024. It is worth mentioning that agricultural activities include irrigation, trout farming, fish farming and industrial agro-zootechnical units. Of these, the largest volume of water was allocated for irrigation: approximately 56,000 cubic meters of water in 2025 and approximately 48,000 cubic meters of water in 2024. The largest volume of water "The water needed for irrigation comes from the underground source," the institution specifies.

At the level of the Buzau-Ialomita ABA, the "Plan for restrictions and use of water during periods of scarcity in the Buzau-Ialomita hydrographic area, Ialomita hydrographic basin, Buzau hydrographic basin, Calmatui hydrographic basin" is being developed.

"Although the flows of the water courses that cross the territory of Buzau County administered by ABA Buzau-Ialomita have registered lower values in the last period, following the overall analysis of their situation and the uses that are supplied with water from surface sources (the Buzau, Calmatui rivers), it was not the case to apply the restriction steps. An important role in ensuring the water requirement is played by the Siriu reservoir, which has sufficient water resources for the population and industry that uses the surface water resource", emphasizes the cited source.

The administration also indicates that the water supply of the population in Buzau County is achieved both from underground and surface sources, with the underground source being the predominant source. The largest water operator in the county is Compania de Apa SA Buzau, which supplies drinking water to 35 communes, of which 28 belong to the hydrographic area administered by ABA Buzau-Ialomita, the other seven communes being located in the Ramnic River basin, administered by ABA Siret.