Austria's Drinking Water Summit Calls for Updated Water Law and Conservation Actions

At a drinking‑water summit in Vienna, Austria’s federal minister Norbert Totschnig introduced the new Tirol water‑supply concept. The plan stresses cross‑municipal cooperation, protection of water resources, efficient consumption and better data, noting that total demand is projected to reach about 76 million m³ per year by 2050 while per‑capita use has dropped from 300 L to 250 L per day since 1986.

Regional councilor Stefan Kaineder warned that the existing water‑law dates from 1959 and has not been revised for eight years. He urged legislation that matches current science, limits large water withdrawals during droughts and restores natural groundwater storage by reducing soil sealing, stating, “A summit does not replace measures and a law.”