On World Water Day, the Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus district council, Wiener Wasser and the Ecosocial Forum Vienna jointly brought the topic of water into the center of attention
Vienna (OTS) – At the Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus Environmental Day In the historic “Old Slide Chamber” on March 21, 2024, everything revolved around perhaps the most inconspicuous component of sustainable development: water. For the Ecosocial Forum Vienna, the cooperation event was an important highlight as part of the anniversary year “25 years of the Ecosocial Forum Vienna“.
What is commonplace and completely self-evident in Vienna is causing increasing difficulties for many regions of the world in the context of the climate crisis: the supply of drinking and household water. Fortunately, the city of Vienna is in an excellent position here – and is securing its water supply for the future.
“Vienna’s water is a precious treasure. We therefore continually invest in state-of-the-art infrastructure. In this way, we ensure that the water supply is best prepared for the challenges of climate change and the growth of the city. Our goal is that many generations after us will be supplied with the best Viennese high spring water.”
, so Climate City Councilor Jürgen Czernohorszky.
“The Meiselmarkt is an important center in our district and has long played a central role in supplying Vienna with drinking water. I am pleased that we are putting this important issue at the center of attention at Environment Day 2024 at this historic location. It is essential to increase awareness of the sustainable and careful use of water in order to preserve and protect this valuable resource in the long term.”
, so District leader Dietmar Baurecht.
“Vienna’s water supply is a technical masterpiece – a unique achievement of engineering. In the 19th century, the city literally ‘pre-built’ for generations.”
, explained Hans Sailer, President of the Ecosocial Forum Vienna and former operations manager of the Vienna waterworks. The two high spring pipes have been bringing the clearest spring water, fresh and cool, directly to Viennese households for over 150 years. The particularly clever thing about it: “No energy has to be used to transport the water from the clear springs in the Rax-Schneeberg area and the Wildalps to Vienna,” says Sailer. “The water flows by itself thanks to gravity and even generates electricity in small hydroelectric power plants – around 65 million kilowatt hours, roughly the energy needs of Wiener Neustadt. This means that the high spring pipelines can also be viewed as a unique energy saving and climate protection project.”
says Sailer. If the water had been pumped since 1873, an immense amount of energy would have been used. But the water even generates electricity.
“The municipal drinking water system in Vienna is a core element of our eco-social city. By further developing the modern and generation-appropriate infrastructure, it combines the protection of our natural resources with affordable services of general interest and makes an essential contribution to the high quality of life for all people in the federal capital. With the Vienna Water Charter in 2001, the city of Vienna made a clear commitment to the inalienability of Vienna’s drinking water system and thus resolutely rejects any form of liberalization or even privatization.”
so Heinz Hufnagl, Vice President of the Ecosocial Forum Vienna and Chairman of the Environmental Committee in the Vienna City Council (ret.).
In order to shed light on the topic from a variety of perspectives, we attended yesterday’s event high-ranking experts from the areas of public services, environmental protection and health.
Security of supply requires a modern, publicly owned infrastructure. Heidrun Maier-deKruijffManaging Director of the Association of Public and Community Enterprises (VÖWG), explains: “The responsibility for water supply lies at the municipal level, which plays a crucial role in public services. The experiences of some cities in Europe have had bad experiences with liberalization or privatization in the past. In view of the numerous challenges in the Austrian and European water management, it is of utmost importance in the interests of the people that water supply can remain in the hands of the municipalities in the future. To this end, it is absolutely necessary to preserve the exception for water in the EU Commission’s concession directive. This means that our cities and communities should continue to be able to decide for themselves how they organize their own water supply in the future.”
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“All living things depend on water – from mammals and insects to the microorganisms in the soil. We must therefore protect our natural habitats and prevent the entry of environmental toxins as much as possible. Clean water can only come from a clean environment.”
explained Iris Tichelmannenvironmental lawyer for the city of Vienna. “Our waters are also very valuable living and recreational areas. They cool the city and are popular excursion destinations, especially in summer. But many animals and plants also live in or near water. Even small ponds are valuable and are used by many wild animals for drinking or as spawning grounds for amphibians.”
Tichelmann continued.
“Access to clean water is an essential prerequisite for people’s health and well-being.”
so Claudia Laschan, doctor and local councilor for the city of Vienna. Drinking enough is an important building block of a healthy life. Laschan knows that the city of Vienna is also taking the social approach here. The motto is: the best water for everyone – not just in households, but also in public spaces. “It is particularly important that we also reach the children. That is why the water schools in the 15th district are really close to my heart. In these schools there are no longer vending machines for buying soft drinks and educational accents are being set to help the students to introduce healthy drinking habits. “This provides an extremely valuable impetus for children’s health – because it makes a huge difference whether people drink water or soft drinks throughout their lives.”
said the doctor.
The cool water is becoming indispensable due to the increasing heat but also in terms of cooling down. District head for construction law explains: “People’s health, quality of life and well-being are very important to us. In addition to drinking fountains, green areas and the soothing shade of trees, we also rely on spray mist showers and water columns. They promote health and help the Viennese feel comfortable in Grätzl, even on hot days.”
Further information about the event:
oekosozial.at/wien/veranstaltung-2024-lebensgrundlage-wasser/
Press photos:
www.flickr.com/photos/167078778@N08/albums/72177720306557009/
The Ecosocial Forum Vienna will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024. Celebrate with us! visit us on oekosozial.at/wien or on facebook and instagram.
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