Aims - Tasks

Water is a fundamental life resource for humans, fauna and flora. Our main objective is to maintain and improve the quality of surface water and to promote the sustainable use of aquatic systems.

Our staff supports the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management in managing the key issues of national and international water management:

-	Quantification of the chemical, hydromorphological and ecological status of surface waters,
-	Compilation of water quality reports and scientific studies,
-	Cooperation with other EU member states in the design of international monitoring programmes,
-	Participation in the development of implementation strategies for the Austrian Water Act, for the EU Water Framework Directive and for other EU regulations that are relevant for the water sector,
-	Input of proffesional competence to current water management issues in the legal system or in its execution,
-	Providing puplic information concercing water management issues.

The work in our institute is organized in the teams:
Water Protection, Running Water Ecology, Dangerous Substances and Chemistry and Data Management.