Jakarta – Greece is facing a water crisis that is affecting hotel operations. The government has proposed using seawater to keep hotel pools filled.
The proposal includes regulations that allow the installation of pipelines to pump seawater into and out of hotel pools located in coastal areas to save fresh water. This way, freshwater can be preserved for other uses by the local population.
“This regulation provides a framework for extracting and pumping seawater into pools,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Elena Rapti, as quoted by Euronews, Monday (January 20, 2025).
“The main focus of this regulation is to conserve water resources,” Elena added.
Why does Greece need to save water?
According to a study by the National Observatory of Athens, the country has experienced severe drought over the past two years. Annual rainfall has decreased by about 12% between 1971 and 2020 compared to the period from 1901 to 1970.
The drought shows no signs of abating, and the upcoming tourist season could further strain water resources, particularly on islands that are popular tourist destinations. The Aegean Islands and Crete are the most affected areas, with rainfall dropping by a fifth compared to the previous year.
Last year, Greece welcomed nearly 33 million tourists, generating revenue of €28.5 billion (Rp 484 trillion). However, like many other European countries, in 2024, Greece faced protests over mass tourism.
Tourism sector workers have said they are at their limits. The climate crisis has also made the current tourism model increasingly unsustainable, prompting the government to reconsider how tourism should be managed in the future.
Hotels will not be forced to fill their pools with seawater, but the proposed regulation will make it easier for them to build the necessary infrastructure if water usage restrictions are implemented.
However, the water-saving plan has faced criticism due to environmental concerns, particularly regarding water being pumped back into the sea. The proposal does not specify quality standards for water disposal, even though pools filled with seawater still need to be disinfected with chemicals.
Chlorine used to disinfect pools is known to be toxic to fish and other marine life, and discharging chlorinated water could disrupt marine ecosystems by altering salinity levels.
Additionally, the proposal does not guarantee that waste from the pools will not pollute seawater, while constructing pipelines could potentially damage the seabed.
On the other hand, some argue that concerns about the impact of pools on water resources are exaggerated. Research indicates that on islands like Mykonos and Paros, pools consume only about 6% of the total available water.
