Interreg Euro-MED WatHer
Water Heritage in European Rural Mediterranean. Re(dis)covering water heritage systems to face climate challenges learning from our past
Short description
WatHer revives centuries-old water heritage systems (WHS) as a modern solution to drought in rural Mediterranean areas. The project restores traditional canals, ponds, and irrigation ditches—long neglected but proven to capture and store water sustainably.
In selected pilot sites, WHS are mapped, restored, and monitored using a mix of field knowledge and modern tools such as Geographic information system (GIS) and environmental sensors. Action plans are co-designed with local communities, blending ancestral techniques with today’s ecological standards.
To ensure uptake, the project delivers training guidelines, engages local actors through seminars and consultations, and builds a joint strategy for WHS reuse. Through transnational cooperation -within the Global Network of Water Museums- these methods will be carried across borders, turning field-tested heritage into a shared Mediterranean resource.
Project partners:
Politecnico di Milano (IT, Lead partner)
University of Padova (IT)
University of Granada (ES)
University of Algarve (PT)
IN LOCO Association (PT)
OTRA – Island Development Agency Ltd (HR)
BSC – Business support centre Ltd., Kranj (SI)
Cyprus University of Technology (CY)
Laona Foundation for the Conservation and Regeneration of the Cypriot Countryside (CY)
Selenica Municipality (AL)
Chambre d’agriculture des Bouches-du-Rhône (FR)
Terres en villes (FR)
Potamia – Nicosia, Cyprus