Swimming Pool Evaporative Water Loss and Water Use in the Balearic Islands (Spain)

Abstract

The Balearic Islands are a major Mediterranean tourist destination that features one of the greatest swimming pool densities within Europe. In this paper, standard meteorological data were combined with a diachronic swimming pool inventory to estimate water evaporation from swimming pools over the Balearic archipelago. Evaporation was estimated using an empirical equation designed for open-water surfaces. Results revealed a 32% increase in swimming pools’ water use by 2015. Evaporation from swimming pools added 9.6 L of water to touristic consumption per guest night and person, and represented 4.9% of the total urban water consumption. In 2015, almost 5 hm3 (5 billion L) were lost from pools across the Balearic Islands. In several densely urbanized areas, evaporative water loss from pools exceeded four million litres per square kilometre and year. The water needed to refill the total of 62,599 swimming pools and to counteract evaporative water loss is equivalent to 1.2 pools per year. Swimming pools have rapidly proliferated across the islands. We have expounded on this development in view of much-needed responsible water management across the islands.

Water loss in swimming pool filter backwashing processes in the Balearic Islands (Spain)

“…Swimming pools are a factor affecting water consumption, and their number has significantly augmented in recent years. Some factors related to water loss, like evaporation, have been previously investigated in the Balearic Islands (Hof et al, 2018). However, the water loss related to swimming pools filters backwashing, although constitute from 20% to even 70% of the total wastewater volume (Hazell et al, 2006;Wyczarska-Kokot & Lempart, 2019), remains unknown.…”

“…There are some studies of water use in swimming pools. However, in most of them, the analysis failed to assess an important aspect of pool water consumption: they did not account for the cleaning of pool filters (Hof et al, 2018). The novelty of the present work lies in the specific investigation of this critical factor.…”

“…In 2016, 15.4 million tourists visited our islands (IBESTAT, 2020). The high water consumption associated with this touristic pressure, together with the above-mentioned droughts periods, make water scarceness one of the most important socio-environmental issues that our community faces (Hof et al, 2018). Thus, proper water resources management is crucial to ensure water supply.…”

“…Thus, proper water resources management is crucial to ensure water supply. The proliferation of swimming pools for residential and touristic use has increased in our islands in the last few years (Hof et al, 2018). The intensification of water consumption associated with this circumstance is critical and constitutes a challenge for water management in our community.…”

Water Use in the Tourism Accommodation Sector

“…Some research suggests that garden and lawn irrigation can account for up to 50% of a resort's water consumption (Gössling et al 2015). The initial filling of a hotel pool or pools can add up to about 40 lgn, to which the replacement of water lost through evaporation must be added, which can be equivalent to an additional 9.6 lgn (Gössling 2015;Hof et al 2018).…”