With water scarcity intensifying across the Mediterranean, seven organisations from seven countries have officially launched the RESWATER project under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. The two-day kick-off meeting, hosted by Malta’s Energy & Water Agency in Birgu on 10–11 December 2025, marked the start of a joint effort to promote water reuse, strengthen local water resilience, and support communities facing increasing pressure on water resources.
The RESWATER project has a total budget of €2.8 million, of which 89% is funded by the European Union, while the remaining 11% (approximately €308,000) is contributed by the project partners.
RESWATER aims to improve the resilience of Mediterranean communities to water scarcity by increasing the use of non-conventional water resources, promoting safe water reuse, and supporting more sustainable urban water management practices. In other terms, the project works to find new ways of saving and reusing water, ensuring that communities have more reliable water supplies even as droughts become more frequent.
As part of the kick-off, partners participated in a technical tour of Birgu guided by a licensed expert, focusing on the city’s historical water infrastructure and the role of underground reservoirs and wells. The tour included several reservoirs restored through the Alter Aqua Programme, such as the one beneath Birgu Square, now used for irrigating public greenery and supporting street cleaning. and another located at the Auberge d’Angleterre.
Participants were able to observe first-hand how previously abandoned reservoirs have been rehabilitated and reintegrated into everyday water management in the locality. This provided a tangible example of how funded projects can lead to long-term, practical solutions, illustrating the type of impact that RESWATER seeks to replicate across the Mediterranean.
Further updates on RESWATER activities will be shared through the Interreg NEXT MED website and partner communication channels.
