A new study published in the scientific journal Water (MDPI) puts an end to a myth that has been consolidated in public opinion in recent years. Swimming pools, especially in the tourist areas of southern Greece, are not the main cause of water scarcity, as is often claimed. The real problem is much more complex and is linked to water management and losses from water supply networks.
Greece is among the countries with a high risk of water shortage, ranking 19th worldwide, according to data from the World Resources Institute. At the same time, losses from water supply networks reach up to 50%, as significant quantities of water are lost due to old pipes, leaks and inadequate maintenance. This picture is not new, but it remains persistently unresolved, despite the increasing pressure on water resources from tourism development and climate change.
The scientific team of the study “Swimming Pools in Water Scarce Regions: A Real or Exaggerated Water Problem? Case Studies from Southern Greece” examines dozens of hotel and private swimming pools in areas of the Peloponnese, Crete and the Dodecanese. The results show that the annual water consumption per pool corresponds to a small percentage of the total consumption of a household or a tourist unit, often below 2% of the annual water volume.
The study includes examples from Mani and Naxos, two regions with different tourist rhythms but common anxiety about water. In Mani, where tourism is developing without corresponding investments in infrastructure, it is found that swimming pools in small accommodations consume minimal water compared to the irrigation needs of olive groves and gardens, while leaks from local water supply networks remain the biggest “missing link”. In Naxos, with more developed tourism, examples of the use of seawater in hotel swimming pools and reuse initiatives for cleaning and irrigation stand out. In these cases, the savings do not result from bans, but from practices that make a difference in practice.
Furthermore, the study states that swimming pools often act as “regulators” of demand, as their filling takes place outside peak periods. Evaporation losses can be reduced by up to 90% with the use of covers, while the use of seawater or recycled water can drastically reduce the need for fresh water. These data show that technological solutions already exist; what is missing is their systematic implementation at the national level.
The public debate around swimming pools, especially on the islands, is often more symbolic than real. In reality, the country needs a long-term water resources policy that integrates loss control, recycling, smart pricing and investment in infrastructure. As the researchers emphasize, the solution lies in using water consistently and knowingly.
Greece does not need to turn against a symbol of luxury, but to turn responsibility for every drop into part of a national strategy. Water is not lacking because we are filling swimming pools, it is lacking because we have not yet decided how to protect it.
The study shows that tourism can become an ally in sustainable water use, provided it invests in saving technologies such as small-scale desalination and greywater recycling. For many island regions, such solutions are not just a choice, but a necessity. Water scarcity is not fatal, but a matter of strategy and consistency. If Greece addresses water with the same planning it shows for its tourism, then it will be able to talk about real sustainability, not just crisis management.
