“Water Resources and their Management” is steadily growing. Especially countries in South East Europe, in particular Italy and Slovenia, express a vivid interest in “C-net water”, as it is briefly called. This growing interest is also reflected in the prosperous development of Netnode 6 “Water for Agriculture and Industry”, with currently five commissioned work packages. A C-net subcentre was therefore recently set up in Maribor to assist in the coordination of ongoing activities.
As many as 50 work packages have meanwhile been formulated in the six netnodes of the competence network. Since the end of February work has now started on all work packages, drawing upon a four-year research budget of € 9.6 million. More than 50 associates from industry and 40 from research are linked in these work packages, using this open network to further explore highly innovative research areas, increase competitiveness and strengthen Austria’s role as a hub of commerce as well as support the economic upswing in our South Eastern neighbouring countries.
Grazer Stadtwerke AG, one of our most powerful business associates, is actively involved in the two key project areas Water Management in Valley & Basin Systems (Netnode 1) and Net Product Chain Management of Water Resource (Netnode 5).
The company intends to acquire an expertise in groundwater recharge/ enhancement and decision support systems, which it seeks to put to good use at international level. Another key concern is to promote the cost effectiveness of water management policies; this aspect is covered by the work package Total Quality Management developed in collaboration with Graz University of Technology.
Another thriving project area relates to Water in Underground Mining & Power Station Construction (Net- node 4), which also boasts five work packages. Among the companies involved are Vorarlberger Illwerke and Dravske Elektrarne Maribor, contributing “alpine water storage management”, and ÖBB Bau AG, whose work is targeted at “prognostic transport route modelling” and “concepts for water utilisation & management in mountain areas”. C-net water (or “waterpool”) is a subsidiary of Joanneum Research GmbH. It receives vital support from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour and its competent liaison officer Ulrike Unterer.
(Source: aqua press Int. 1/2006)
Contact & Information:
Kompetenznetzwerk Wasserressouren GmbH
Elisabethstraße 16, A-8010 Graz
GF a.o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hans Zojer
GF Mag. Edmund Müller
Koordination & Programmmanagement:
Mag. Gerhard Probst
Tel.: +43/316/876-1368
