As the summer tourist season nears on northeastern Spain's drought-stricken Costa Brava, the tourism sector is under pressure to find ways to conserve water. One hotel in Lloret de Mar has demonstrated that even small-scale solutions can be pursued to great effect.

Lloret de Mar

Northeastern Spain's Costa Brava, a region revered for its picturesque coastlines and a prime destination for summer tourists, faces a challenging season ahead due to severe water shortages. Amidst the backdrop of a lingering drought, the tourism sector is confronted with an urgent need to implement water conservation measures. This situation arises as the regional government contemplates restrictions targeting tourist activities in an effort to manage the scarce water resources effectively.

In Lloret de Mar, a popular town within the drought-stricken area, the Samba hotel has emerged as a case study for successful water conservation practices. The establishment has adopted a gray water recycling system, reusing water from baths and showers for toilet flushing. Implemented over two decades ago, the system involves treating the gray water on-site and has enabled the hotel to save approximately 15 million liters of water, alongside reducing water-related expenditure significantly.

Beyond conventional recycling, the Samba hotel is collaborating with the Catalan Institute of Water Research to explore innovative, natural filtration methods. This pilot project utilizes plants and soil to purify gray water, with the added benefit of integrating aesthetically pleasing ornamental plants into the design, enhancing the hotel's ambiance. The adoption of such eco-friendly measures not only underscores the potential for substantial water saving and financial benefits but also highlights a growing recognition of the need for sustainability in the hospitality industry.

As the peak tourist season approaches, Regional solutions extend beyond individual efforts, encompassing larger, more energy-intensive initiatives such as desalination plants to supplement water supplies for essential needs like swimming pools and drinking water. Despite the high costs and energy demands associated with desalination, it forms a crucial component of the broader strategy to combat water scarcity, indicating that a multifaceted approach is imperative for ensuring the sustainability of tourism and the well-being of communities in northeastern Spain’s Costa Brava.



Drought puts pressure on northeastern Spain's tourism sector

A chilly day on the Costa Brava in northern Spain but some tourists are enjoying the beach. Just metres from the ocean, it's hard to believe there could be a problem with water. But in this part of Spain, a lack of rainfall is leading to severe shortages. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Catalonia but the sector here faces a problem. Drought in the region means there's too little water and the regional government is considering imposing restrictions on tourists. As businesses gear up for the summer season, the question is how can they conserve this valuable resource? The Samba hotel in Llore de Mar holds one answer. Here, grey water, water that comes from baths for example, is piped back into the hotel for the toilets. Just over 20 years ago, the hotel installed separate pipes and treats the grey water in the basement. It claims to have saved 15 million litres of water and made substantial financial savings from water costs. I think it's something that in hotels that are already finished, they have to take advantage of a renovation situation. But I think it should be mandatory in new hotels being constructed so there is the ability to recycle water. With the help of the nearby Catalan Institute of Water Research, the hotel is also piloting a natural system using plants and soil to filter grey water. Researchers estimate costs for such a solution could be recuperated in five to six years. The system has been designed with ornamental plants because with lots of natural-based solution, one of the many aspects is for it to be pretty, in this case for tourists. And that's why it's next to the hotel bar. As the tourism season kicks off, businesses are looking to the ocean to fill swimming pools and provide drinking water. And desalination plants like this one. But it's costly and energy-intensive. Still the region will need every solution, big and small, if it's to survive as the drought goes on.

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