Water and wastewater market in Austria

Austria is one of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU). It covers an area of 83,879 square kilometers with a population of roughly 9 million residents. Water and wastewater management are federal responsibilities in Austria. 

About 93% of the Austrian population relies on central water supply systems, which are managed by 5,500 water supply companies. The length of the pipeline network used is around 80,000 km. The other 7% of Austrians get their potable water from private wells and springs.

An average four-person household needs about 200,000 litres of drinking water per year.  With just 130 litres of potable water per person per day, Austria ranks third in Europe for efficient water use. This is significantly lower than in Canada, where the average person uses 223 litres per day.

Austria’s main high-water-use sectors are:

• food and beverage
• pharmaceuticals and chemicals
• pulp and paper
• power generation
• cooling systems for data centers

• Limited awareness of Canadian cleantech leadership
• Local-value-added requirements tied to public funding, making partnerships and ecosystem integration essential for success

• Austria is in the top third of wealthiest countries in the EU based on purchasing power
• Political, legal, social and economic stability
• Highly regulated and largely publicly owned utilities (often requiring public tenders or local content)
• Austria is one of the European countries with the highest water resources
• Many companies have a high level of digitization

• Flood Risk Management Plan running until 2027.
• According to the Abfallverbrennungsordnung 2024, mandatory phosphorus recovery will be implemented starting January 2033.
• The revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD 2024/3019) calls for plant upgrades leading to a better removal of chemical substances to be generally implemented by 2045. Since EU directives don’t apply fully to member states from the moment they are adopted into EU law, states like Austria must implement the directive into national law until the summer of 2027.
• Digitalization of water and canalization systems.

Austria’s water and wastewater sector offers opportunities for Canadian firms specializing in advanced treatment, digital monitoring, and resource recovery. With strong environmental standards and EU‑wide regulatory changes, demand for innovative solutions is rising despite a mature domestic market. Partnerships with Austrian small- and medium-sized-enterprises (SMEs) can facilitate successful market entry.

Canadian companies should register with the Austrian procurement portal (Bundesbeschaffung GmbH) and monitor EU OJEU (Official Journal of the EU) for relevant tenders. These will likely increase from 2026 onward as member states begin implementing the directive.

Canadian companies should be aware that public procurement in Austria may require EU-based partners or subsidiaries for certain contracts. CE marking and EN standards compliance is essential for equipment sales.

For more information on the water and wastewater market in Austria, please contact Susanne Knobloch (susanne.knobloch@international.gc.ca).

• Overview of Austrian Water Management
• European Commission: Urban Wastewater  
• Bundesbeschaffung GmbH
• EU: access the official journal