WatHer on the Radio!
Our project was recently presented on Astra Radio 92.8 as part of our communication and outreach activities in Cyprus.
Charalambos Louka, Research Associate at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), and Eleni Panayiotou, Senior Research Officer at Laona Foundation, introduced the WatHer project and explained how it promotes the restoration and sustainable use of Water Heritage Systems to help rural areas become more resilient to climate change.
Interreg Euro-MED WatHer project 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, Water Heritage Systems are mapped, restored, and monitored using a mix of field knowledge and modern tools such as Geographic Information Systems (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 water heritage systems 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.
