WATER CHARGES

1. Farmers should always pay at least part of the cost of irrigation water to instil a culture of economic water use.
2. Metering the flow of water to individual fields is costly: with gravity schemes it is simpler to charge for water on a time basis.
3. Where water is pumped allocation of costs to users is easier, but may require sharing of overhead costs within a group of users.

Related information: Other factors in Irrigation management: water quantity: water quality; water application; drainage method; irrigation management.