The growing issue of water scarcity throughout the world is apparent to us all. A steady supply of drinking water is becoming a problem, especially in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, and even in countries traditionally rich in water such as Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, where periods of drought are more and more severe and persistent over time.
Thus, in a country such as Spain, with its great touristic potential, we must ask ourselves about the actual consumption of tourists in our hotels, resorts and other facilities. The figures leave no room for optimism: according to a study by the University of Palma de Mallorca, water consumption in a Spanish home is 120 liters per person per day, while in a tourist complex it is around 400 liters per guest per night. This demonstrates the lack of control over water consumption that exists in our hotel complexes, and the immense work that is needed in this sector in order to bring about a change in the management model that will allow more sustainable tourism in today’s society.
To reduce water consumption in our hotels, there are several measures that can be implemented, starting in the laundry room where the consumption of water and energy is notorious. There already exist industrial laundry systems that adapt water consumption to the level of the load of clothes to be washed, thus achieving significant savings. In addition, for some time now, the daily change of towels and sheets has been eliminated, and the positive effects on water and energy costs can be noticed immediately.
Another important measure is to control and seal water leaks which are a common problem in tourist complexes.
And finally we come to the guest showers. According to studies by the University of Palma de Mallorca, water consumption accounts for around 10% of the fixed costs of a hotel. If we also factor in the energy consumption necessary to heat the shower water, it amounts to 17% of the hotel’s total fixed costs, a very significant figure for a hotel manager indeed.
Water saving innovations for hotels
According to “Tourism Management” magazine, a 100-room hotel can save at least 227 liters of water per guest per night by implementing certain efficiency measures.
There exist relatively simple systems such as low-flow taps, low-flush toilets and efficient irrigation systems which allow for significant savings.
According to the University of Palma de Mallorca, there also exist more advanced technological innovations such as water pressure regulation systems or cut-off shower timers – such as Acqua Tempus – which drastically reduce guest consumption. In these cases, the benefits are double: we reduce both water and energy consumption, which is of extreme importance for hotel managers.
There are reliable and documented examples of twenty low-cost hotels in Jamaica where it was possible to reduce water consumption by 30% and save (on water and energy) $800 per room per year, all thanks to technological measures such as those mentioned above plus the reuse of towels. In this way, these Jamaican complexes were able to avoid over-consumption in their laundry rooms.
Tourism and sustainable development goals
Tourism is a very important sector in the economy of any country, and predictably, it will continue to grow in the coming years. But it will have to do so in a sustainable way. According to a 2018 United Nations report, finance programs must be applied in the tourism sector on a worldwide level in order to implement water and energy saving systems and reduce consumption. In addition, over-consumption constitutes a financial risk factor. If hotel companies are to maintain a competitive edge, it is crucial for them to reduce unnecessary and harmful costs.
Innovation, technology and efficiency applied to the tourism sector is our only way forward.
ARELIA, every drop counts.
