Balancing luxury with sustainability – the spa industry's water challenge

From steam rooms to plunge pools to hot tubs, water is a critical resource for spas. But with demand for spas to exhibit clear sustainability initiatives increasing, there’s also pressure to conserve water.

The average hotel guest uses around eight times more water than some local populations, and although research suggests a spa in hotels does not significantly increase a guest’s water usage, spas doubtless have high water needs. The average spa hotel room uses around 1,500 litres of water.

With spa businesses under increasing pressure to introduce more sustainable water practices, European Spa asks water sustainability expert Steve Harding for advice on bringing about meaningful change.

Harding is founder and CEO of Showerkap, a tech company focused on how people use water and energy. Its platform enables businesses to monitor and manage water use in granular detail.

Simple sustainability measures

“Simple measures such as adopting better maintenance of taps, pipes and toilets can reduce wastage, creating environmental gains and financial savings,” says Harding.

“Investing in water-saving systems such as low-flow showers, greywater reuse systems and rainwater collection technologies can also be an effective strategy.”

According to the Rainforest Alliance, these measures can reduce water consumption by 27 per cent.

“Creative approaches include using pool covers to help reduce evaporation and heat loss,” adds Harding. “Installing filtration devices to improve water quality also decreases the need for back-washing and chemical usage.”

The carbon impact of spas

Spas have a significant carbon footprint, much of which is associated with intensive water use, plus the heating and cooling of water.

“These energy demands are mostly met from fossil fuel sources,” says Harding. “To minimise carbon impact, spas should aim to move towards cleaner, renewable energies, such as solar panels.

“Introducing strategies to reduce water usage, or turning to more sustainable water sources such as rainwater harvesting or greywater, have the added benefit of reducing carbon footprint.

“Spa facilities can further incentivise guests by introducing tangible rewards for meeting sustainability targets,” adds Harding.

“These tools also enable spas to monitor their water systems, quickly alerting them to issues such as leaks or taps being left on.”

Attracting a new consumer

By implementing eco-friendly initiatives, spas can mitigate their environmental impact while attracting a new demographic of eco-conscious travellers.

Many water-saving technologies also offer quick payback periods, making them financially appealing for spa businesses.

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