With a network of resources

How municipalities are managing the water supply for 2050

Awareness and measures: It cannot be taken for granted that the elixir of life will always be available, even in extreme cases.

(Bild: Karin Wernig)

Hot spells with forest fires, including in the south-west of the Weinviertel: the municipalities have learned something new this year and want to be prepared for the future in one of the driest regions of Lower Austria. The plan: "TrinkWasserWeitblick 2050".

Climate change will also have a long-term impact on the seasonal availability of water supplies in our regions!" Clear words from Stefan Flotz, who is responsible for one of the driest regions in Austria - he is the chairman of the Weinviertel-Süd regional development association. In this context, it is important to network - because not every municipality is necessarily prepared for extreme periods at the moment.

The "masterminds" have started to share their know-how and their municipal status quo as part of the project. The symbol is the connecting water jug.

(Bild: REV Südliches Weinviertel)

Planning the exchange - of data and also through water pipes
"We are still used to water always coming out of the tap," explains Regional Manager Alexander Wimmer. "But what happens if forest fires break out after a few dust-dry weeks - worse than what happened this year anyway? Does every municipality know how consumption is distributed - from households to businesses and agriculture?"

This is the aim of the "TrinkWasserWeitblick" project: What about availability - are wells owned by the municipality or are they bought in? "We should definitely intervene here, for example with ring mains where there could be a shortage," says Wimmer. The talks between the heads of the municipalities are in full swing, an interim assessment will be made in mid-2025 - and then things will get more concrete.