Walter Kling was born in Vienna, Austria on 21 March 1958. He decided to study environmental engineering with a special focus on water management and in 1986 enrolled at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna.

He started to work at the Municipal Department 31 of the City of Vienna, better known as Vienna Waterworks. In 2011 he was appointed as Deputy Managing Director of Vienna Waterworks, a position which he still stays on.

Following his interest in the international context of water management, Walter Kling joined the work auf the Austrian Association and in 1993 he was delegated to represent Vienna within IWSA. He was an active member in IWSA with a special focus on the Standing Committee on Public Relations. Since the launch of IWA in 2000, Walter Kling supported the development of the new association in his region of East Europe by organising a number of events. Maintaining an excellent network of contacts he applied to organise the IWA – World Water Congress 2008 in Vienna. Starting from 2003, the Congress President Walter Kling served with great commitment to secure best circumstances for IWA, IAWD and the City of Vienna to run a successful conference. In September 2010 he was elected IWA – Vicepresident, re-elected Busan 2012and served in this position till 2014.

Currently he is conducting the Danube water program, a joint program of IAWD and the Worldbank.

An important background for this supporting work is his role as the General Secretary of IAWD (International Association of the Waterworks in the Danube catchment area) which he started in 1993. Founded by an initiative of the Mayor of Vienna, IAWD is a long-term partner of IWA in various activities. Following the interest of Vienna to play an active role in the international water business, Walter Kling took duty to represent water issues also within CEMR and the Water Committee of UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments).