!!!Gewässerschutz

Water, Protection of Bodies of: On the basis of the 1934 Water Act (as 
amended in 1959, 1990), all activities that may affect surface and 
subsoil waters in a significant way are subject to approval by the 
Water Authorities. Since the 1990 amendment, Austrian water law has 
been among the strictest in the world. A further, though temporary, 
restriction of waste water releases introduced in 1993 in favour of 
municipal effluents has closed another important gap. Enforcement of 
the water law is incumbent on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, 
Forestry, Environment and Water Management as the supreme water 
authority, the executive offices of provincial governments and the 
district administrations, which are also in charge of the ''Water 
Register''. P>

\\
In view of the enormous amounts of money required for the protection 
of waters, the Law on the Promotion of Water Engineering Projects of 
1948, which established a special fund financed by the federal and 
provincial authorities, provided an important basis for successfully 
cleaning up Austrian lakes. A further step was taken in 1993, when a 
uniform Law on the Promotion of Environmental Projects was passed 
which focuses in particular on purification measures for municipal and 
industrial effluents.

\\
The Oesterreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaftsverband (Austrian 
Water and Solid Waste Management Association), based in Vienna, is the 
forum and co-ordination centre for all regional authorities, companies 
and associations that deal with matters concerning the beneficial use 
of water.

\\
Insufficient municipal waste water disposal schemes, and the 
increasing nitrate pollution of ground water reserves by agricultural 
activities remain problematic areas that will continue to be a 
challenge for the future. Another particularly sensitive and 
cost-intensive problem is the rehabilitation of old and 
environmentally hazardous refuse dumps and contaminated industrial 
locations.

!Literature
B. Raschauer, Wasserrechtsgesetz, Kommentar, 1993.


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