200 Mio. euros for water body restoration in communities
All of us benefit from healthy rivers and streams
Currently, Austrian communities can receive funding up to 200 mio. euros.
To take ecological and future-proof measures for water bodies, the Austrian government makes 200 mio. euros of funding available for communities.
More specifically: The Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management funds water body restoration of streams and rivers in communities. The funding rate is up to 60 %.
Healthy water bodies: an added value for communities
All of us benefit from healthy water bodies. Rivers and streams are important habitats for different animal and plant species. The landscaping of the local water bodies is an opportunity to create a local recreation area. Thus, ecologically healthy and resilient water bodies bring added value for all generations living in a community and make a sustainable future for our regions possible. Vice versa, unhealthy rivers and streams bear high risk and high costs.
Success stories in water body restoration
Since 2009 over 600 water body restoration projects have been implemented, among them successfully taken measures by 123 communities and regional authorities (see ‘Gewässerökologische Erfolge in Österreich’ of the Federal Ministry). Apart from the environment also the regional economy benefits from the funding of water body restoration since it fosters additional investments and by that safeguards jobs.
Focused local water body restoration in communities is not only a prerequisite for functioning ecosystems. Actually, these restorations are indispensable to make our rivers and streams more resilient when bearing in mind future negative effects due to exceptional climatic events we will have to face.
Further information from the Ministry
https://www.bmlrt.gv.at/wasser/foerderungen/gewaesseroekologie
For funding related questions
Raphael Süßenbacher, project lead | suessenbacher@e-c-o.at | +43 463 504 144