The visit, carried out by Professor Daniele Di Trapani and engineer Alida Cosenza, forms part of the University of Palermo's role as scientific supervisor of WATERISE, an Interreg Euro-MED project developing nature-based solutions for water management on Mediterranean tourist islands, combining approaches such as rainwater harvesting, natural grey-water treatment and reuse for irrigation. Working with local stakeholders, the team conducted a preliminary reconnaissance of three potential sites: the area around the MARP Archaeological Museum, which sees heavy summer tourist flows; the Marine Protected Area of the Pelagie Islands; and a municipal sports field, assessing the technical feasibility, advantages and constraints each site would present for future water-reuse infrastructure.

Lampedusa, like many small Mediterranean islands, faces acute water scarcity that is compounded during peak tourist season, making low-impact, nature-based approaches to water reuse directly relevant to how the island sustains its tourism economy without further straining a limited freshwater supply. The mission feeds into WATERISE's ongoing study phase, gathering the technical groundwork needed before any pilot solutions can be designed and tested.

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