Swimming pools as a climate refuge
A decree-law being prepared by the Government of the Generalitat foresees the opening of public and private swimming pools to the public. This new regulation aims to turn swimming pools into ‘climate shelters’ that are available to the public, as long as water consumption is offset by other sustainable measures.
Town councils will have the power to declare swimming pools as climate shelters, including those of sports clubs, neighborhood communities, hotels or campsites, which can be used by the general public. However, they will have to ensure that additional saving measures are taken to offset water use.
Restrictions for tourists
In addition to the provisions related to the use of swimming pools, the decree law will also include limitations on water consumption by tourists. Municipalities that continuously exceed the maximum thresholds per tourist site will have to implement restrictions to ensure responsible use of water.
Councils will be responsible for enforcing these restrictions, which will include specific measures such as the amount of water per person in emergency situations. These measures will apply to tourist establishments and could involve limitations on consumption depending on the degree of emergency.
Local considerations
The Government has worked in collaboration with the Catalan Association of Municipalities (ACM) and the Federation of Municipalities of Catalonia (FMC) to develop these new regulations. The aim is to provide councils with more tools to deal with emergency situations due to drought, while maintaining their municipal autonomy in making decisions related to water and swimming pool management.
With this initiative, the aim is to guarantee a sustainable use of water facilities, while multiplying the range of accessible services for the public and strengthening awareness of the management of water resources in the tourism context.
