BLUE AUSTRIa

MORE THAN JUST BLUE DANUBE

Comprehensive protection of Austrias water resources

Water power dominates Austrias electricity production

CLEAN POWER

Successful aid projects in developing countries

WATER FOR THE WORLD

Alpine water resources

Modern waste water management

Cool: Generation Blue

edIToRIal
BMFLUW / Rita Newman Hopi-Media BMWA

Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Josef Prll

Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Ursula Plassnik

Federal Minister of Economics and Labour Martin Bartenstein

PROTECTING WATER, pROTECTING THE FUTURE

We take it for granted: Fresh, clean and in plentiful supply. It may come as a surprise that the efcient usage and protection of water ranks so highly on the political agenda and national consciousness of a country as mountainous and by no means suffering from a shortage of water as Austria. Hardly any other country has undertaken such substantial efforts to protect its national water resources water is a key factor in maintaining a high quality of living. Despite Austrias high degree of industrialisation, the water found in virtually all Austrian rivers, creeks and lakes meets the highest quality standards. The environment is not the only beneciary; the Austrian people benet as well. Tap water is safe to drink throughout the whole country, and experienced travellers attest to its unmatched quality worldwide. The quality of the water stems from both the countrys natural alpine legacy and comprehensive protection measures which reduce the pollutants in Austrian waters to an absolute minimum. Furthermore, water has traditionally been Austrias most important energy resource. Hydropower plants on the Danube and alpine rivers generate the lions share of Austrias electricity supply, ranking it amongst the countries with the highest percentage of renewable energy. Hydropower consequently plays an important role in Austrias efforts to meet its ambitious targets to minimise CO2 emissions. Austria does not however focus solely on its own national water resources, but also champions the issue on the international stage. Austria plays a highly active role in furthering international cooperation on the protection of the Danube as well as in numerous other water-related development projects across the globe. We are proud of our important contributions to a common global goal: protecting our water resources for future generations. We strongly believe that we are hereby laying the foundations necessary to safeguard the health and quality of life of our children.

conTenTS

Water-rIch AustrIa
Water is a distinguishing feature of the landscape in this alpine country and home of the Blue Danube. Austrians share a particularly strong bond with their water.

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Water protectIon accordInG to plan

The quality of Austrias waters has ranked amongst the best in the world for decades

WorKInG for clean water

Water awareness amongst Austrians is high and new measures to keep waters clean are continually being implemented.

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AustrIas electrIcItY trulY flows

Over 4,000 hydroelectric power plants cover 70 percent of Austrias electricity consumption. This gure ranks Austria as second in Europe.

Flood protectIon Is a worK In proGress

Soft measures of ood prevention are becoming increasingly important alongside classical ood defences such as dams and dykes.

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AustrIan eXpertIse
Water is becoming big business. Numerous Austrian businesses are successful on the international stage in the elds of hydropower, water supplies and sewage treatment.

GeneratIon Blue
Water comes out of the tap or does it? Generation Blue provides adolescents with answers to questions such as this.

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Clean Water for eVerYone

Water plays a key role in Austrian Development Cooperation. Austrian programmes and projects are designed to improve the quality of drinking water and keep water clean.

Perfect DesIGn
The Europe drinking glass by Austrian designer Miki Martinek is awarded the Adolf Loos prize.

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Water tourIsm
Visitors to Austria expect clean water and untouched landscapes, and they nd both around almost every corner.

ImprInt
Publishers: Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs/Austrian Development Cooperation, Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour Coordination: Mag. Susanne Brandstetter; Editors: Mag. Susanne Brandstetter, MR DDr. Herwig Drr, Mag. Heidi Frank; Art director: Max Niederschick; Proof-reader: Maureen Stewart; Owner: KGV Marketing Verlagsgesellschaft m.b.H., Europaring F 13 301, A-2345 Brunn/Gebirge; Circulation: 25,000; Cover: dreamstime.com, Nationalpark Hohe Tauern / Mussnig, BMFLUW / Rita Newman Blue Austria is a special issue of Location Austria

 Tirol Werbung | Johann Schneider

Water-rIch AustrIa
Hardly any other country in Europe is as rich in water resources as Austria. Drinking water is drawn directly from mountain springs, rivers serve as transit routes, energy sources and leisure areas, yet are clean enough to drink from. Keeping these high standards is a task that Austrians have taken to heart.

VerY austrIan has more than enough to drink, and the water is of the highest quality. There is room for every ship-owner on the transit routes, and holidaymakers can choose from over 40 swimming lakes with bathing water of the highest quality. Nonetheless, Austria is continually on the lookout for new means of improving its water management and water policies. To this end, the country has committed itself to tackling the issue of longterm water management even more intensively. A broad eld, given that water management and policies are closely tied to environmental, economic and energy issues. It is these three areas that will shape the coming years; three areas that are included in the 2007 government programme.

immediate rethink of policy. Wherever possible, rivers are being given back the pace so they dont need to ood, and damage to property is limited as a result. Renewable energy sources will complement fossil fuels even stronger in the future, and hydroelectric power has a key role to play in this respect. All these points are included alongside the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, which obliges the EU member states to consider the protection of lakes and rivers when making use of them. In Austrias case, this means continuing to reduce or keep low the levels of pollutants in lakes, rivers and groundwater and to allow lakes and rivers to ow as naturally as possible, without taking hydroelectric power out of the equation or neglecting ood protection. Working on such long-term water management strategies is a never-ending task, and does not stop at your own front door. Austrias businesses and researchers are also working abroad to develop new technologies and ways of using hydropower, guaranteeing clean water supplies and treating sewage. One of the water industrys goals is to share this knowledge with enterprises and governments by means of development projects and business partnerships, sharing some of water-rich Austrias wealth with the rest of the world.
Nationalpark Hohe Tauern / Mussnig

Austria needs to safeguard the quality of its water. This is not purely a means of treating wastewater, but also a matter of handling water resources in an ecologically sound manner. This involves imparting the importance of water as the elixir of life on the general population and obliging companies to engage in measures to protect the environment. Not only is protecting water a high priority, protecting people from water is also of paramount importance. The oods of 2002, 2005 and 2006 led to an
BMFLUW / Rita Newman

Clean water adorns the breathtaking Austrian landscape: waterfall in Tyrol (left page) and a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the National Park Hohe Tauern.

WaSTewaTeR ManagemenT

worKInG for clean water

Austria is a country rich in water resources as such, water protection is a high priority. The state invests large sums in this area and with noticeable results: water awareness amongst Austrians is high, and new measures for the protection of the water resources are continually being implemented.
BMFLUW / Rita Newman

Water has been treated biologically in Austria for around 40 years. The number of treatment plants has continued to grow and the technology employed is continually monitored and improved.

hen asKed what Austrians are particularly proud of about their country, the answer clean water ranks second behind the beautiful landscape. Clean water is increasingly being taken for granted by Austrians, after all, 89 percent of rivers today are quality class I and II and drinking water is drawn entirely from ground and spring water. Reaching this level of quality and safeguarding it for the future is hard work, says Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Josef Prll. We invest in water supply and wastewater management, have expanded sewage treatment plants and between 1993 and 2006 provided support for a total of 22,000 projects aimed at guaranteeing water quality and supply.

Particular advances have been made in two areas that were previously amongst the most pressing concerns, namely agriculture and the industry. A large segment of rural family enterprises that shape the Austrian agricultural sector participate in various environmental protection programmes and the use of fertilisers that pollute water supplies has been drastically reduced. These improvements have less to do with strict regulations and are more a result of the increase in environmental awareness amongst farmers, says Minister Prll. Improvements in the industrial sector were largely due to strict regulations concerning waste water emissions and hence high investments in state of the art waste water technology by the companies and the state. Today the water quality in Austrian rivers is fairly

BMFLUW / Rita Newman

BMFLUW / Rita Newman

good even downstream of production plants of waterintensive industries, e.g. the paper and pulp industry. 40 Years of bIoloGIcal sewaGe treatment There have also been many changes in the sewage treatment plants themselves. The number of plants has continually been increased, and, as a rule, sewage from rural areas is treated in the same manner as sewage from the cities. Just as important is the continual advancement in technology, through which the efciency of the treatment plants has been steadily improved. These measures are the primary factor that has ensured that Austria is one of few European countries which has been ofcially certied as having comprehensively implemented the strict European regulations. Waste water has been treated biologically in Austria for around 40 years, nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) elimination is todays minimum treatment standard in Austria. In 1968, three percent of households were connected to sewage treatment plants, today that gure is almost 90 percent and still increasing. This improvement is also largely due to the nancial

support provided by the federal government which has nanced almost 16,000 wastewater management projects over the past 15 years. This has ensured that less prosperous municipalities, which would have otherwise been unable to nance water protection measures on their own, have had the opportunity to expand their sewage networks rapidly, construct treatment plants and modernise existing facilities. Clean water for the future The investments have paid off, and still continue to do so, says Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Josef Prll. By treating community and industrial wastewater, the quality of Austrian streams and rivers has massively improved. Today, the quality of most Austrian waterways is either good or very good, and most are free of chemical pollutants. In order to maintain and improve the current situation, Austria is working intensively on a National Water Management Plan (NWMP). The focus for 2008 and beyond is to look past the aspect of water quality and to embrace and further develop bodies of water as natural habitats.

Thanks to comprehensive investments in multi-stage sewage treatment plants, Austrias sewage treatment needs are covered.

DrInKInG water from the Ground

With 100 percent of Austrian drinking water coming from ground- and spring water, the quality of drinking water is among the very best in the world. This is commensurately appreciated: 91 percent of Austrians rate their drinking water as either very good or good. The next goal is ensuring that all ground water is of drinking quality. Increased nitrate concentrations in certain regions as a result of intensive agricultural activities poses a challenge in this respect. However, new regulations governing the use of fertilisers and comprehensive training programmes for farmers have already generated strong improvements.
Gasteinertal Tourismus GmbH

Flood conTRol

Flood control Is a worK In proGress

When thinking of Austria, most people think of hills, mountains and picturesque river valleys, a combination which poses great challenges to ood experts: every square metre of the valley oor is used intensively, and many people live directly next to water. Thanks to a national strategy, the impact of oods has largely been contained.
BMFLUW / Rita Newman BMFLUW / Rita Newman Land Tirol BMFLUW

Conventional ood protection by means of dams and dykes is often complemented by ecological measures (ood basins etc.) and more. Rivers and streams are being given back their natural appearance and the risk of ooding is reduced as a result.

or decades, no one had believed it possible, but in the summer of 2002, large areas along the Danube and its tributaries were under water, areas which had not been ooded for decades. Similar catastrophes followed in 2005 and 2006. ProVIdInG rIVers more space These oods revealed the limits of conventional ood control. They also provided the impetus for a radical rethinking of Austrian ood control policies. Over the past few years, Austria has undergone a paradigm shift in its approach to ood control, says Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Josef Prll. For decades, rivers were regulated. Today we are doing our utmost wherever possible to give them back the space that they need. Moreover, ood control is no longer an issue solely for engineers. Nowadays, ecologists also play a key role in addition to public authorities, farmers, politicians and project developers. They pursue a two-tier

strategy; non-structural and structural ood control. Non-structural ood control ensures that rivers are given the space they need when oods occur. Houses and farmland are moved away from the river, so that any ooding causes a minimum of damage. Only if these preventive measures are insufcient does structural ood control come into play. This includes the construction of dams and barriers, detention basins and water-resistant houses. Plans have been drawn up that will be implemented over the coming years, with further ood control measures being put into place in numerous regions across Austria. These steps are being undertaken in light of the new EU Floods Directive, which stipulates that ood risk and ood hazard maps as well as crisis plans need to be available for the whole country. Floods of the century such as that which occurred in 2002 are likely to happen again in future. The measures we have put in place and will put in place over the coming years can ensure that there is truly no reason to remember them for decades afterward.

Non-structural flood protectIon on the LafnItZ rIVer

The as of yet largest non-structural (passive) ood control measures have been initiated by Austria in the catchment basin of the Lafnitz river on the border between the provinces of Burgenland and Styria. Today former farmland near the river is used as pastures and grassland; ooding no longer causes signicant damage here. This has rendered river regulation(s) completely unnecessary, and the ood risk for those living downstream has also been reduced.

MunIcIpal fund to compensate flood VIctIms

An unusual project has been realised in Mittersill in the province of Salzburg. An 800-metre long and ve-metre high dam has been constructed across the Salzach river. The dam itself is nothing unusual, but the idea behind it is that holders of (agricultural) land in the area of the detention basin that will be ooded more frequently in future will be compensated from the municipal fund. Inhabitants in the dry areas below the dam will in turn help nance the fund. The Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management and Oberpinzgau water board will invest a total of 12.5 million euros in the project.

GeneratIon Blue
The internet water platform for teenagers has contributed signicantly to awareness of the importance of careful use of Austrias water resources.
BMFLUW / Rita Newman

ater comes out of pipes doesnt it? Finding answers to questions like this come naturally to teenagers participating in the Generation Blue project.

For most teenagers in Austria, water has one main characteristic: it is simply there. Generation Blue, a project aimed at 13 to 19 year olds, reveals the secrets behind what many of them take for granted. And with great success: over 400,000 teenagers have been reached by the project. They have investigated rivers, mixed water cocktails, competed in interschool competitions and learned that in many countries water is not as taken for granted or as readily available as it is in Austria. Only 0.014 percent of the Earths water is fresh water that can be directly harnessed by humans. Generation Blue is an initiative of the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management aimed at awakening teenagers interest in water and teaching them a responsible approach to water. The project centres around the web site www.generationblue.at, which makes potentially dry subject matter into an interesting experience. Urban water management and the EU Water Framework Directive are made tangible for teenagers through interschool competitions, online games and prize draws. Innovative background material in the form of CDs, teaching materials and info folders complement the package. Generation Blue provides teenagers and teachers with everything they need to know about water.

The most recent (and exceptionally successful) project was Mein Wasserpass Enjoy Water. The project teaches a responsible approach to water in a playful manner and also improves the students drinking habits. Amongst other tasks, students were asked to contemplate their drinking habits over a period of 14 days and to come up with an original slogan that describes their showering habits. A jury determined the top ten phrases from all submission which were then printed on complimentary T-shirts and distributed to the winning schools.

rtIst Miki Martinek received the Adolf Loos National Design Prize in 2007 for her water glass titled Europe. The 7,000 euro prize is presented in part by the Austrian Ministry of Economics and Labour and the Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture every two years and is also an enormous distinction for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, which commissioned the work. It developed the water glass together with the artist and the Austrian Association for Gas and Water (OVGW). The glass was presented (together with the Achtel wine glass) with one of the three coveted design awards selected from 249 submissions by an international jury in the product design/consumer goods category. Europe was developed for the Austrian EU presidency in the rst half of 2006 and represented the importance of (drinking) water.

Prize-winning drinking glass Europe designed from artist Miki Martinek

BMFLUW / Rita Newman

NatIonal prIZe for the drInKInG Glass europe

WaTeR FRamewoRk DIRecTIve

Water protectIon accordInG to plan

For decades, Austria has ranked amongst the nations with the highest water quality. Since 2000, the EU Water Framework Directive has provided the government with another important tool in order to strengthen this position.
Nationalpark Donauauen / Weixelbraun

Children discover water in the Donau-Auen National Park in Vienna. Even in this bustling metropolis, water is of the highest quality.

The roadmap for the EU Water FrameworK DIrectIVe

The Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management will draw up a National Water Management Plan (NWMP) by 2009, which regulates the building of new sh ladders, which regions chemicals and fertilisers will be further reduced, and where sewage treatment plants need to be upgraded. The ministrys proposals will be published at the end of 2008, and anyone and everyone interested in the subject can inform themselves and participate in the debate; in fact, the EU directive calls upon them to do so. The national plan will apply to all rivers, brooks, lakes and ground water in Austria. By 2010, the rst rivers should be largely traversable by sh without obstruction by power plants and dams. In the years thereafter, the plan will be implemented step by step. Thenceforth, Austria will update the plan regularly to adapt to changing circumstances.

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O Tourismus/Fensterer Neptun / Franz Liebletsberger

he european unIon is pursuing a noble objective with the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Each member will from now on be obliged to consider how water resources can be used ecologically as well as economically. In concrete terms, this means that each state must reduce the level of pollution in lakes, rivers and ground water, and keep this pollution to a minimum. Lakes and rivers must be left to ow as naturally as possible without denying humans access to hydroelectric power or neglecting ood control. Combining economic viability and ecology under the same banner is always a balancing act. We are already much further in this respect than other countries, says Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Josef Prll. For example, bayous and oodplains have been preserved at the major new plants on the Danube, and in some cases new ones have even been created. Further measures to safeguard ground water levels have kept the previously common side effects of hydroelectric power plants in check. Here we have a perfect example of being able to combine conservation and economic gains.

and Water Management will tackle this challenge in the coming year wherever possible and wherever it is required. Beginning in 2009, sh ladders will be installed in hydroelectric plants where they are not yet present. Individual sections of the river will be redirected to create spawning grounds and nurseries for sh. Until then Austrias planners will continue to engage in the balancing act conserving the natural habitats in and around lakes and rivers, and providing humans with environmentally friendly renewable energy and protecting them from ooding.

Danube vista Schlgener Schlinge in Haibach/Upper Austria. Austria plays a central role in protecting the Danube. The beauty of Austrias largest river should be maintained for generations to come.

ProtectInG the Danube wIthout barrIers

Hardly any other river in Europe has such a large catchment basin as the Danube. 81 million people in 19 countries live in this region, the area of which is more than twice the size of Germany. The Danube itself ows through ten of these countries, and one of them is Austria. Austria and 13 further countries founded the Vienna-based International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River - ICPDR in 1998. The ICPDR aims to conserve the Danube for future generations as what it has always been a natural environment, recreational and leisure area, a source of renewable energy, a transit route between cultures and a massive reservoir. A common plan for the entire river basin lies at the core of the undertaking. Austria itself is the central driving force behind it. After all, 96 percent of the country is located in the Danubes catchment basin. The ICPDRs coordination of ood control measures between countries in the Danube region has played a signicant role in improving the water quality along long stretches of the Danube. The largest problems nitrates and phosphorous have been reduced, though not entirely eliminated. Austrias experts played leading roles in all the measures and were able to put their expertise to use, reducing pollution levels and keeping them at a minimum. There was a considerable amount of work to be done in much of Eastern Europe following the fall of the Iron Curtain. Modern sewage treatment plants were constructed there in record time, industrial water pollution has been reduced drastically, and some plants with particularly high levels of pollution were even shut down. The result has been a signicant improvement in the water quality in the lower course of the Danube, which is already having a positive impact on the ora and fauna along the river and its giant delta.

The ministry was able to face the 2005 analysis required by the WFD calmly. The water quality in almost all Austrian lakes and rivers is very excellent and almost all ground water reserves are of good or very good quality. Austria has very good chances of meeting the targets of the EU Water Framework Directive with respect to limiting pollution levels. Open waterwaYs for fIsh There is still one challenge for planners to face. Austria has generated electricity using hydroelectric power plants for centuries. Today around two thirds of electricity consumed in Austria comes from hydroelectric power plants. Moreover, ood control has always been indispensable in a mountainous country such as Austria. Consequently, many rivers are dammed. The Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment

HYdRoelecTRIc PoweR

AustrIas electrIcItY trulY flows

Should you be sitting in a Viennese coffee shop drinking your morning coffee, the pleasure is not only thanks to the excellent quality of water in Austria, but also to the power generated from water in over 4,000 hydroelectric power plants. Together these plants generate 70 percent of Austrias electricity, a gure that is second only to Norway in Europe.
VA Tech Hydro Verbund

Rottau/Malta power plant in Carinthia (left) and Wien-Freudenau/Vienna (right). Around 70 percent of Austrian electricity is produced by hydroelectric power plants

lectrIcItY productIon in Austria primarily means hydroelectric power. In hardly any other country is the proportion of electricity generated by hydroelectric power as high as in Austria, where the share is 70 percent. This is due on the one hand to favourable natural conditions, with ample alpine water resources and large rivers, and, on the other hand, to the ongoing drive over the decades to expand this area of the energy sector. Today these investments are paying off more than ever. Booming prices for other energy sources such as gas and oil are bringing to bear the economic benets of cheap hydroelectric power even more. Furthermore, Austrias high share of energy from hydroelectric power means that among the EU member states it has the highest proportion of energy generated by renewable means. It is thus in an excellent position to meet the EUs climate protection targets. The hydroelectric power infrastructure is therefore being expanded, and the additional 2.3 percent annual growth in electricity consumption forecast through 2015 underscores the importance of maintaining high

levels of environmentally-friendly produced energy. Austrias goal is not only to cover this additional consumption, but to also reduce electricity imports by expanding existing hydroelectric power plants and constructing new ones. ShInInG eXample: Kaprun Indeed, much is being done to meet this goal. One particularly spectacular project is planned in the province of Salzburg in the immediate vicinity of the large-scale power plant at Kaprun, which was constructed in the post-war era and was at that time one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world. The Limburg II storage power plant will be constructed by Verbund AG, Austrias largest power company. The total power output of the Kaprun power plant group will be more than doubled to 833 megawatts. When the plant commences operation in 2012, neither the 43 metre high cavern housing the turbines nor the 16 metre high cavern containing the transformers and control room will be noticeable - the plant is located below ground. Only the entrance to the cavern containing the machinery will be visible from the exterior. Aside from being particularly efcient, being optically

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HYdroelectrIc power from reserVoIrs and rIVers
Storing electricity is not viable. In order to be able to react to spikes in consumption quickly, electricity production needs to be timed to coincide with consumption. Regulating the production of energy by hydroelectric power plants situated on rivers such as the Danube is only possible to a very limited extent. These power plants, which supply around two thirds of Austrias hydroelectric power, generate electricity around the clock. Unable to react to uctuations in demand, they are perfectly suited to covering basic levels of consumption, not temporary peaks. The problem is solved by using a mix of run-off river water and storage power plants. Storage power plants are primarily found in higher alpine regions. Water is stored in large reservoirs and released through pipes as and when electricity is required. Storage power plants can start up rapidly, which is perfectly suited to covering peak consumption. In this respect, they also have signicant advantages over thermal and nuclear power plants. Around one third of hydroelectric power in Austria is produced by storage power plants.

unobtrusive is of paramount importance given the signicance of the Upper Tauern mountain region to the tourism industry. The plants integrate seamlessly into the surrounding landscape while providing clean electricity. Nevertheless, Kaprun is only one of many examples in Austria demonstrating how hydroelectric power plants can be built without harming the natural and ecological balance of rivers and their surroundings. This specic knowledge is needed in many largescale power plant projects realised by Austrian companies all over the world. A campaign to modernise existing power plants is also underway. One such example is the Aschach power plant, one of nine Austrian power plants on the Danube. Upgrading the turbines may only mean a four percent increase in efciency but, over a year, the increase in production of 45 million kWh (kilowatthours) is equivalent to the power consumption of 12,000 private households. Today, around two thirds of the potential for generating hydroelectric power in Austria has been harnessed. The remaining potential is of particular interest to operators of alpine pump storage power plants, where the short-term balance of electricity can complement other domestic energy sources, including energy from hydroelectric dams or wind turbines. The right mix of energies is required to

The mountain lake created by the Kaprun plant (Salzburg province) integrates seamlessly in the Upper Tauern mountain region, a popular destination for tourists. reduce CO2 emissions in both Austria and the rest of the EU in accordance with stringent targets. The right mix is unthinkable without hydroelectric power.

AustrIan eXpertIse In South Korea

Austrian expertise on hydroelectric power plants is appreciated worldwide, even in elds which at rst glance may not appear to be the domain of a landlocked country. YetAndritz VA TECH HYDRO is involved in the construction of the Shiwa tidal power plant in South Korea, the largest tidal power plant in the world. The Austrian company is one of the largestsuppliers of complete electromechanical solutions for hydropower plants and is installing all turbines and generators in the project. The Shiwa tidal power plant is the rst of its kind in South Korea. Costing a total of around 250 million US dollars, the plant will produce 543 GWh of electricity yearly from 2009.
VA Tech Hydro

Tauern Touristik GmbH

EXpoRTIng Know-how

EXport hIt: water Know-how

Austrias generous water resources have shaped the country for centuries, and continue to do so. Austrias businesses have specialised on exporting their experience in this area.
Verbund

International demand for Austrian expertise: power plant technology has become an important export industry

n order to safeguard the high quality of Austrian water, ground water, rivers and lakes have been tested for pollutants for decades. Today, strict regulations apply to industries, treatment plants are being expanded and new ones constructed. Austrias businesses have grown alongside such changes, and their demand for highly sophisticated solutions has grown with them. Austria today exports highly specialised products and services to Europe, Southeast Asia, South America and the Near and Middle East. Revenue and export growth in the eld of clean technologies is ten percent per annum. Austrias businesses excel in the elds of water

supply and wastewater management. These companies supply pipes, lters, pumps, biological sewage treatment plants and expertise on the desalination of seawater, taking on the roles of planners and constructors for both individual devices and in the construction of complete plants. TurnKeY hYdroelectrIc power plants from AndrItZ VA Tech HYdro The Austrian companyAndritz VATECH HYDRO supplies equipment for entire plants. The companys core markets are Europe, Northand South America and Asia. As the main supplier for the undergroundpower plant at Goldisthal, the largest hydroelectric project in Germany

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www.umwelttechnIK.at: ComprehensIVe eXpertIse
Austrian businesses offer a wide range of products and services for water supply and wastewater management both domestically and abroad. In order to facilitate contact for these businesses, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour has launched an online database which can be found at www.umwelttechnik.at. The platform provides comprehensive information about hundreds of Austrian companies and experts in the environmental technology and water industries, from general contractors for plant building and specialists for lters and pipes, to water managers and skilled tradespeople.

BMFLUW / Rita Newman

to date, the company supplies the core components required by the pump storage power plant. Penstocks supplied byAndritz VATECH HYDRO are used by the Ming Tan pump storage power plant in Taiwan. Research at the InstItute for Water Resources ManaGement The effects of such hydroelectric power plants on the environment are the subject of research at the Institute for Water Resources Management at Joanneum Research GmbH, one of the largest independent research institutes in Austria. New water management strategies and methods to tap into deep groundwater resources in arid regions are also core areas of research. LarGest electrIcItY supplIer In AustrIa: Verbund AG Verbund AG is as multifaceted as the researchers. It meets around half of Austrias electricity requirements by means of a grid stretching over 6,500 kilometres in length. This makes Verbund Austrias largest electricity rm, one that not only produces electricity, but transports and trades it on European electricity exchanges as well as selling directly to customers.

Austrian businesses export technology and expertise to the whole world.Andritz VA TECH HYDROs core markets are Europe, North America and Asia.

AustrIan water eXperts

Allplan GmbH Consulting and engineering in energy and environment management. www.allplan.co.at Andritz VA TECH HYDRO Andritz VA TECH HYDRO is among the few companies in the world whichprovideequipmentfor hydroelectric power plants with complete solutions (water-to wire). www.vatech-hydro.com Aqua Engineering GmbH Water and wastewater treatment expert from Mondsee. www.aqua-engineering.at Donau Chemie AG - Water Technology Business Solutions for industrial and community sewage treatment, cleaning products and disinfectants for swimming pools. www.donau-chemie.at evn Wasser Accessing, storing, piping and delivering drinking and industrial water, managing waterworks. www.evnwasser.at FREYLIT Umwelttechnik Ges.m.b.H. Development, manufacturing and sales of sewage treatment and processing plants. www.freylit.com International Water Management WABAG Services for water and sewage networks. Financing of infrastructure projects, operation of communal plants. www.wabag.com Institute for Water Resources Management (Joanneum) Water management a scientic perspective from researchers at the private Joanneum Research institute. www.joanneum.at Porr Infrastruktur GmbH Handles infrastructure projects for the Porr corporation, e.g. sewage disposal and water networks. www.porr-solutions.com SETEC Engineering Planning, construction and digitised modelling of municipal infrastructure, planning and monitoring of sanitary and development measures in the eld of drinking water. www.setec.at Verbund AG Verbund AG covers around half of Austrias electricity consumption, making it Austrias largest electricity utility. Approximately 90% of Verbunds electricity comes from hydro power, which makes it one of the most environmentally-friendly generators of electricity in the European Union. www.verbund.at Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation is a joint venture between Voith and Siemens in the eld of mechanical and electrical upgrades for hydroelectric power plants. www.voithsiemens.de

VA Tech Hydro

CoopeRaTIon

Clean water for eVerYone

There are six billion people on earth one billion of them with no access to clean water. Austria has charged itself with taking on the task of improving communal water supplies and sanitation, particularly in the worlds most poverty-stricken regions.
ADA / Astrid Obmann OEZA / Skopje

Modernising the sewage network is an important aspect of Austrian support measures for Macedonia.

ater Is lIfe, a maxim that is often cited when highlighting the signicance of water. The true meaning of the phrase is nowhere more apparent than where clean drinking water is lacking. Particularly in poorer nations and regions with booming populations, such as Africa and Central America, the health and quality of life of the general population suffers and national economies deteriorate where clean water is lacking. Educational opportunities often suffer as a result: children may be more prone to illness and are often responsible for fetching water for their families, keeping them out of school. However, providing clean drinking water alone is not sufcient. In order to fundamentally change the situation, sanitary conditions also need to be improved.

the awareness that simply building water supply infrastructure is not enough is still lacking, says Robert Burtscher, water expert of Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) in Uganda. The necessary framework needs to be put in place, otherwise plants will soon shut down again. It is also particularly important to create an appreciation of the signicance of sanitary measures. For this reason, the United Nations has designated 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation. Only if an understanding of the relationships between these aspects is imparted, can the funds and expertise required to develop the underlying infrastructure reap long term success. Austria is strongly committed to the water issue in Development Cooperation because, on the one hand, we feel duty bound by the United Nations human rights charter, which states that all humans have a right to clean drinking water, says Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, and, on the other hand, Austria, with

There are practically no simple solutions, but a decisive improvement can be achieved by implementing a multitude of smaller and larger measures. In many places,

Modern sewaGe networK for MacedonIa

Macedonia is not only one of the youngest, but also, following the collapse of former Yugoslavia, economically one of the weakest countries in Europe. It was only natural that supplying drinking water and treating sewage were not exactly a top priority after the states founding. Accordingly, the country was far from European Union standards in that respect; sewage was partially disposed of via open canals, and if it rained for extended periods, the canals overowed and became clogged with refuse and debris, which in turn caused ooding in urban areas. Modernising the sewage network has thus been one of the most important issues at the heart of support measures carried out by Austria since 2002. As with all infrastructure projects, it took some time before positive effects became noticeable, but in 2006 the rst larger waste water projects were completed and three densely populated residential areas were provided with a modern sewage system and water network.

17
its varied landscapes, has collected a wealth of expertise over the centuries. Our experts therefore know how to develop new techniques adapted to various circumstances and how water management can work even under difcult conditions. A substantial portion of Austrian development funds ows into water projects on four continents. Among
OEZA / Franz Breitwieser

No water wIthout wastewater In all its projects, ADC always makes sure that wastewater treatment and basic sanitation measures are considered along with water supply. In the worlds poorest regions, there are no funds for constructing or maintaining sewage systems, and in many places water is simply too scarce to be used to that end. Expensive sewage systems are thus not always the best
OEZA / Franz Breitwieser

others, Austria currently supports water projects in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda in Eastern Africa; Cape Verde, Burkina Faso and Senegal in Western Africa; Mozambique in Southern Africa; Nicaragua and Guatemala in Central America; and in the Palestinian Territories. In addition to this, there are projects in Southeastern Europe: Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (including Kosovo), Albania and Moldova. The largest water programme overseen by the ADC has been running since the 1990s in Uganda (see box). The Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of ADC, implements projects and programmes together with development organisations and Austrian businesses in close cooperation with the local population and authorities. Special emphasis is placed on developing institutional structures and expertise, as it is necessary to ensure that partners in developing countries are able to operate and maintain the newly created infrastructure into the future.

solution. Rather, alternatives such as toilets which dry faeces aseptically in a chamber in the sun may be the answer. In many cases, innovative approaches are called for in the search for the best solution. Solar-powered pumping systems and solar desalination plants are examples of what can be achieved by harnessing the power of the sun. Self-ImproVement worKs best Choosing the most apt technical solution is ultimately up to the developing nation in question. ADC helps local water suppliers build their plants and brings together researchers from both sides. ADCs staff provides information services and offers advice in technical, legal and institutional questions. The aim is for each programme to develop independently after the initial starting phase, says Burtscher. We wanted to meet this goal in Uganda at any rate, and have been extremely successful in this respect.

Excellent drinking water is a step to improving the quality of life in developing countries.

Clean water for UGanda

What started as a small programme in a corner of Uganda has become a national initiative: in 1996, ADC initiated the South Western Towns Water and Sanitation Programme, which aimed to give people in the Southwest of Uganda better access to clean water. Two to three years after the project started, several small construction companies were founded and built along with wells, pipes and communal sanitation facilities. In the meantime, local companies have taken on the detailed planning work. In order to maintain the infrastructure over the long term, the small newly-formed water suppliers have joined together to form an umbrella organisation. All this has happened in 40 small cities so far. The programme has since become a fund for furthering water supply and urban sanitation and nancing infrastructural development across a much larger region. Plants in a further 70 small cities are being nanced in cooperation with the EU. Beginning in 2008, ADC will also participate in a nationwide water sector programme to share the experience gained.

 Tirol Werbung

BMLFUW/AMA-Bioarchiv/W

Tirol Werbung

O Tourismus / Schwager

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Water tourIsm
Visitors to Austria expect clean water and untouched landscapes, and they nd both around almost every corner. During the summer months, 9,000 pristine lakes beckon, during winter, 319 ski resorts call, while and thermal waters await visitors the whole year round.

Ver 30 mIllIon visitors come to Austria on holiday every year. For 80 percent of these guests, an intensive experience of water, sun and mountains is the prime motivation for visiting Austria. Austria is able to cater to each of these demands with ease, offering pristine rivers, untouched mountain lakes, swimming spots of the highest quality and numerous mineral and thermal water springs. When it comes to water, this small country has more than enough to offer any guest, with dozens of options to choose from: whitewater kayaking the rst day, relaxing in the thermal waters of a spa hotel the next and strolling through a national park the third.

A total of 110 cabin ships are currently in operation on the Danube, and many more excursion boats. Most guests indulge themselves with a short trip to the picturesque areas along the Danube, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wachau. Those with more time on their hands can get to see more of the Danube on a cruise ship, sailing from the border town of Passau to the Black Sea in around two weeks. The Twin City Liner offers a particularly unique river experience, connecting the two capitals of Vienna in Austria and Bratislava in Slovakia. The trip by highspeed catamaran from city centre to city centre takes 75 minutes, and is probably the only ship connection in Europe that links two capital cities together in less time than it takes to travel by car, train or aeroplane. Consequently, many business travellers make use of the attractive travel opportunity offered by the Twin City Liner. CertIfIed Spa Hotels Another option is staying in one of the many hotels that have devoted themselves to catering to the general health and well-being of their visitors. Austria is currently home to around 700 health and

The days are long gone when winter holidaymakers were on their skis from morning till night. Of course the slopes remain the primary attraction at Austrias 319 winter sports resorts. But frozen water in the form of snow has been joined by yet another water attraction for visitors to Austria. Taking a winter holiday in a health and spa resort allows one to jump into the hot thermal waters directly after leaving the slopes. Austrias hotel industry is actively embracing this trend almost every establishment either offers in-house facilities or cooperates with a nearby spa or hotel. This particularly applies to the large skiing resorts in Austria: for example Gastein, which offers 200 kilometres of slopes and traditional alpine ski lodges alongside two thermal baths. One of the largest ski resorts is Amad, which spans the provinces of Salzburg and Styria and includes a total of ve ski regions comprising a total of 25 slopes stretching over 860 kilometres and connected by 270 lifts. Others visit Kitzbhel, the idyllic Alpbachtal or Ischgl, whose SilvrettaArena was named among the top ten alpine ski resorts out of 176 entries.

Gasteinertal Tourismus GmbH / Foto Factory

Tirol Werbung | Josef Mallaun

HolIdaYInG on Europes most powerful rIVer Any visit to Austria will invariably lead to contact with the Danube. No other river in Europe has a larger catchment basin. The Danube cycle path, originally constructed from Bavaria to Austria, has already been extended eastwards and is one of the most popular cycling routes in Europe. Tens of thousands of cyclists travel along paths where oxen and horses were once used to draw barges upstream, traversing peaceful farming villages, baroque marketplaces and ood plains as they pass numerous cargo and passenger ships on the river.

spa hotels. As a result of the Austrian Ministry of Economics and Labours priority programme titled Health Tourism, the Best Health Austria certicate was called into life. Enterprises that receive this certication are required to employ suitably qualied staff and maintain high standards of equipment and services. In order to ensure these standards are met, enterprises are regularly visited by independent inspectors and subject to stringent quality controls. Best Health Austria enterprises take a holistic approach, dening health as a mixture of physical, mental and social well-being, and offer corresponding services. These range from medical examinations to gymnastics; from physiotherapy to mud baths. Around 50 enterprises have so far submitted themselves to the strict certication procedure, setting Austria well on its way to meeting an important target: establishing the country as the number one health destination in Europe.

Austria has much to offer visitors looking for that extra sparkle untouched mountain lakes, pristine rivers, swimming lakes of the highest quality and a multitude of healing and thermal springs. www.austria.info

AustrIa In WhIte

WATER IN AUsTRIA
addresses, contacts & websItes
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, ENVIRONMENT AND WATER MANAGEMENT
Dept. for Water Management Marxergasse 2, A-1030 Vienna +43 (1) 711 00-7123, +43 (1) 711 00-7160 susanne.brandstetter@lebensministerium.at www.lebensministerium.at/en

FEDERAl MINIsTRY FOR EUROpEAN AND INTERNATIONAl AFFAIRs

Dept. for Environment and Sustainable Development Minoritenplatz 8, A-1014 Vienna +43 (0) 501150 -0 +43 (0) 501159 -0 katharina.wieser@bmeia.gv.at www.bmeia.gv.at

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ECONOMICS AND LABOUR

Foreign Economic Policy and European Integration Stubenring 1, A-1011 Vienna +43 (1) 711 00-5789 +43 (1) 715 96 51 herwig.duerr@bmwa.gv.at www.bmwa.gv.at

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH, FAMILY AND YOUTH

Radetzkystrae 2, A-1030 Vienna +43 (1) 711 00-0 +43 (1) 711 00-14300 buergerservice@bmgfj.gv.at www.bmgfj.gv.at

AUSTRIAN WATER AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (WAV)

Marc Aurel Strasse 5, A-1010 Vienna +43 (1) 535 57 20-0 +43 (1) 535 40 64 buero@oewav.at www.oewav.at

AUsTRIAN AssOCIATION FOR GAs AND WATER (VGW)

Schubertring 14, A-1010 Vienna +43 (1) 513 15 88-0 ext. 25 ofce@ovgw.at www.ovgw.at/en

AUSTRIAN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Information Desk Austrian Development Agency Zelinkagasse 2, A-1010 Vienna +43 (1) 90 3 99-2411 oeza.info@ada.gv.at, www.ada.gv.at

FEDERATION OF AUSTRIAN INDUSTRY

Schwarzenbergplatz 4, A-1031 Vienna +43 (1) 711 35-0 ext. 2910 iv.ofce@iv-net.at www.iv-net.at

AUSTRIAN FEDERAL ECONOMIC CHAMBER

Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63, A-1045 Vienna +43 (0) 590 900 +43 (0) 590 900-250 wkoe@wko.at http://wko.at

UmWElTbUNDEsAmT ENvIRONmENTAl AGENCY AUsTRIA

Spittelauer Laende 5, A-1090 Vienna +43 (1) 313 04 +43 (1) 313 04-5400 ofce@umweltbundesamt.at www. umweltbundesamt.at

FEDERAl AGENCY FOR WATER MANAGEmENT (BAW)

Dampfschiffhaufen 54, A-1220 Vienna +43 (1) 269 97 98 +43 (1) 263 26 44 direktion@baw.at www.baw.at

INTERNATIONAl COmmIssION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE DANUbE RIvER (ICPDR)

Vienna International Centre, Room D 0412 Wagramer Strae 5, A-1220 Vienna +43 (1) 260 60-5738 icpdr@unvienna.org www.icpdr.org

lInKs
Water, water cycle, water quality www.lebensministerium.at/wasser www.wassernet.at Water Framework Directive www.wassernet.at Online water quality queries www.umweltbundesamt.at/en/ umweltschutz/wasser/wgev Water legislature www.lebensministerium.at/recht Austrian report on the current status of the Water Framework Directive wisa.lebensministerium.at Danube Day www.danubeday.org/austria Flood Risk Austria www.hochwasserrisiko.at Younger generation www.generationblue.at www.wasserpreis.info European Union www.europa.eu.int International water www.lebensministerium.at/wasser www.icpdr.org (Danube) www.iksr.org (Rhine) www.ikse-mkol.org (Elbe)