Agriculture Consumes 48.6 Percent of Total Water Usage
Politics
Ulaanbaatar, January 20, 2025 /MONTSAME/. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industrialization Policy and Standing Committee on Environment, Food, and Agriculture of Mongolia held a joint meeting on January 14, 2025, to discuss the Government presentation on the current status and trends of industrial water supply and water consumption.
"Water consumption in Mongolia was recorded at 594.8 million cubic meters per year in 2021, 606.2 million cubic meters per year in 2022, 679.1 million cubic meters per year in 2023, and 618 million cubic meters per year according to the preliminary report for 2024. Of the total water consumption, 48.6 percent was used in the agricultural sector, 26.1 percent in the mining sector, 14.5 percent for drinking and domestic purposes, 5.8 percent in the energy sector, and 5.0 percent in the industrial and services sector," highlighted Battulga Erkhembayar, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Revenue from water and spring resource usage fees amounted to MNT 48.1 billion in 2021, MNT 50.9 billion in 2022, MNT 85 billion in 2023, and MNT 74.3 billion as of November 30, 2024. Additionally, revenue from natural resource usage fees, covering land, water, forest, wildlife, and plant resources, collected for aimag and soum budgets totaled MNT 882 billion in 2020–2023.
In 2021, the water resource use fee rates were increased for various activities, including mineral extraction, copper concentrate, and fluoride enrichment, as well as the production of alcohol, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. The rates for surface water were raised from 10 percent to 25 percent, while the rates for groundwater were increased from 20 percent to 35 percent.
The water fee can be reduced by 50 percent if the water is softened or mineralized for drinking and domestic purposes. The fee can be fully exempted when the water is used for wildlife protection, wild animal breeding, and resettlement, or when water from snow, rain, and floods is collected and used for livestock farming and agricultural purposes.
In 2023, MNT 54.3 billion was allocated for environmental protection and natural resource restoration measures, with MNT 41.2 billion spent, according to the performance report.