Subsidisation of aquatic ecology for municipal applicants
Under the Environmental Support Act (“Umweltförderungsgesetz”), funding is available for the renaturation of endangered river landscapes and their vulnerable ecosystems. All information on this can be found in the funding guidelines “Gewässerökologie für kommunale Förderungswerber” (“Aquatic Ecology for Municipal Applicants”).
In summer 2020 a further 200 million euros were made available for the subsidisation of measures to improve the ecological status of waters, meaning that a total of 340 million euros of funding can be guaranteed by the end of 2027. The subsidy promotes the implementation of measures to improve the ecological status of water bodies on local level, provided that these are not intended for flood control or connected with hydropower utilisation.
The funding guidelines "Aquatic Ecology for Municipal Applicants" provide information on the more detailed framework conditions for the award of subsidies. The associated special topics deal with common questions and specifics relating to the content of the funding guidelines. Both documents are available for download at the bottom of this page.
Eligible measures
- Measures to improve continuity (i.e. passability for fish)
- Measures to restructure morphologically altered stretches of running waters
- as well as basic concepts, analyses, studies, general planning, awareness-raising and expert opinions in connection with the above-mentioned measures
Applicants
Applicants for subsidisation include first and foremost municipalities, associations of municipalities, cooperatives as well as other natural persons and legal entities holding water permits for plants causing hydro-morphological pressure in water bodies. Applicants must not operate as enterprises within the meaning of the EU State aid law pursuant to Article 107 et seq. of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (e.g. hydropower generation); otherwise, the funding regime for enterprises applies.
Processing of subsidies
Funding is processed in digital form. Projects can be submitted simply and clearly via the online platform www.meinefoerderung.at, Further administration of the funding is carried out in close cooperation between the offices of the provincial governments and the processing agency of the Federal Government, Kommunalkredit Public Consulting GmbH (KPC).
Funding is provided in the form of investment grants, which are paid out in several instalments.
Extent of subsidisation
The maximum funding rate from the Federal Ministry is 60 % of the eligible investment costs. In addition, the respective Federal Province grants a subsidy.
Municipal applicants can also apply for a subsidy from the Biodiversity Fund. Subsidies from the Biodiversity Fund amounting to 8 % will be granted until 31 December 2024. From 2025 to 2026, the share of subsidisation will be 5 %. This means that the share of own funds to be provided by municipal applicants can be further reduced.
Eligibility requirements
- Coordination with water management planning and flood control
- Subsidy from the respective Federal Province
- Availability of the required notifications (water law, nature conservation law, etc.)
- Application for subsidy must have been received before construction begins
Neptun Staatspreis für Wasser (Neptun State Award for Water)
The Neptun State Award for Water is Austria's most important environmental and innovation prize for sustainable water projects and emphasises, above all, the importance of water as a vital resource.
Municipalities also have the opportunity to submit aquatic ecology projects in the "Water COMMUNITY" category.
Detailed information can be found on the official website of the Neptune State Award for Water: www.neptun-staatspreis.at