Assessment of Measures to Increase Water Efficiency in Public Swimming Pools

Abstract

Situations of water stress or even water scarcity are becoming frequent in many regions of the planet, due to the exponential increase in population, the economic development model, and/or climate change. An example of a region where climate change is causing increasing situations of water stress is southern Europe, in the Mediterranean basin. One of the countries where this situation is becoming evident is Portugal, especially the center and south of the country, which has led the government to promote legislation or support for more efficient use of water in different sectors. In the case of the urban sector, local authorities, which are responsible for public water supply, have sought to promote specific actions for the conservation of drinking water and water efficiency measures in buildings and public spaces, in addition to other measures to raise awareness of the consumers. In this article, two technical measures proposed for public swimming pool complexes in the municipality of Cascais are analysed, aiming at greater efficiency in the use of water and the use of alternative sources for non-potable uses. These measures involved carrying out water efficiency audits at the facilities and a feasibility study on the use of the volumes of daily water renewal in swimming pools, for non-potable uses, specifically for flushing toilets. The results show that, in addition to their significant contribution to greater water efficiency in urban areas, these measures are also interesting from an economic point of view, also contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.