1,185 projects and 144 million Euros in funding were approved in the Water Management Commission meeting on Monday. This was announced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Water Management (BML) in a press release. "We must take the signs of climate change seriously and now set the right course for responsible handling of the water resource," Water Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) was quoted as saying.

We have been consistently investing in flood protection for many decades. Investments in the ecologisation of bodies of water are also of great importance. In order to be able to supply future generations with clean and high-quality drinking water, measures such as the construction of interconnected pipelines and the development of new drinking water resources are also being promoted by the BML.

Funding for 599 Drinking Water Supply Projects

With the funding commitment, funds for 599 projects for municipal drinking water supply and wastewater disposal with a volume of 37 million Euros are specifically being released, which in turn triggers total investments of around 222 million Euros. Totschnig cited as an example a project in Burgenland, where the sewage treatment plant of the Neufelderseen area water association is being expanded to a capacity of 40,000 inhabitant equivalents. The measures cost a total of about 9.2 million Euros and are supported by the BML with a funding of around 915,000 Euros.

Investment in the ecologisation of bodies of water continues, with the green light given for 50 projects, supported by federal funds amounting to around 45 million Euros, triggering investments totalling over 64 million Euros. Specifically, for example, the Trattnach in the municipality of Taufkirchen an der Trattnach in Upper Austria can be renaturalised over a length of 1.3 kilometres.

62 Million Euros for Expansion of Flood Protection

An additional 62 million Euros are earmarked for flood protection. Here, a total of 536 projects for preventive flood protection or for the maintenance of existing facilities were approved. This includes 66 projects for immediate measures to repair damage caused by the current flood events in Lower Austria, Vienna, Upper Austria and Styria.

With the additional shares borne by the federal states, municipalities and water associations, projects with total costs of around 133 million Euros can thus be implemented. "Every Euro we invest in flood protection is an investment in more security," emphasised Totschnig. One of these important projects is located in the city of Vienna, where as part of the implementation of the integrative flood protection Liesingbach, the existing, hard-banked shore and bed reinforcement is being replaced by natural material, thus restoring the ecological function of the water body.

During the meeting, the Water Management Commission was also reconstituted for the duration of the 28th legislative period. The chairmanship of the commission was again taken over by Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf (ÖVP) from Lower Austria. State Parliament President Reinhart Rohr (SPÖ) from Carinthia was appointed as his deputy.

(APA/Red)

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