Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Austria. Update of the Economic Analysis of Water Use

The project will update detailed analyses for the sectors of agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, industry, hydropower generation, water supply and wastewater disposal, shipping, flood protection, and, for the first time, winter tourism (snowmaking) and contaminated sites, presenting their economic significance and forecasting further developments. The area of energy production will be expanded by conducting an initial assessment of water use in connection with the transformation of the energy sector. In addition, water use in connection with the production of hydrogen and geothermal energy will be included on the basis of existing studies and estimates. Furthermore, an economic analysis of the flood event of 2024 will be conducted on the basis of event documentation, a cost-effectiveness assessment of investments made in municipal wastewater treatment plants in recent years, and a cost-effectiveness assessment of investments made in flood protection in recent years, taking into account the (potential) additional expenditure required to achieve ecological goals.