Greece is being forced to find new ways to keep its hotel pools filled as the drought continues.
Swimming pools at popular holiday destinations could be filled with seawater this summer as the country's parliament debates new legislation to tackle the drought.
The law aims to provide water-saving options for areas facing water shortages that can be used for other urban uses, including pipelines that pump seawater into and out of coastal hotel pools. It proposes regulations regarding the installation of
“This (law) regulates the framework for the implementation of seawater harvesting and pumping into pools,” Deputy Tourism Minister Elena Rapti told a parliamentary committee.
“Of course, the focus is on water conservation,” she added.
However, this plan is not considered a positive move by everyone.
Some critics of the plan worry about environmental damage from what could be released back into the ocean.
Saltwater pools still need to be disinfected with chemicals such as chlorine, which are toxic to fish and other animals. Pipeline construction can also damage the seabed.
However, Greece has been experiencing severe drought for the past two years and needs to conserve water.
Annual rainfall in Greece decreased by about 12% from 1971 to 2020 compared to 1901 to 1970, according to a recent study by the National Observatory of Athens.
The situation is likely to worsen as the tourist season approaches, which could put additional strain on islands, especially those known as holiday hotspots.
The Aegean Islands and Crete were among some of the worst-affected regions, with a fifth of their rainfall lost.
In 2024, Greece will generate £21 billion in tourism revenue, with nearly 33 million tourists flying to the sunny country. This is also one of the countries where local residents have taken part in protests against overtourism.
A combination of overtourism and the climate crisis is making Greece's tourism model increasingly unsustainable, and the government is now considering what the future holds for tourism in the country.
While hotels would not be required to fill their pools with seawater, the proposed regulations would make it easier to build the infrastructure needed to do so if water usage restrictions were in place.
