In a world where the climate crisis and water scarcity are advancing faster than our ability to adapt, inefficient water use in recreational facilities has become a symbol of an unsustainable model. Along the Mediterranean coast, where tourism pressure coincides with water-stressed basins, every liter wasted is a luxury we can no longer afford. Today, the tourism sector not only faces the challenge of maintaining competitiveness but also the responsibility to become an ally in water and climate security.
This project proposes a radical shift: transforming tourist pools in the province of Valencia into smart water management nodes capable of reducing annual consumption by more than 40% and replenishing equivalent volumes to the basin through recirculation, digital control, and safe reuse technologies. The solution integrates IoT sensors, advanced filtration systems, and predictive maintenance protocols to optimize operations and ensure water quality under WQBA parameters. If implemented at scale, the potential savings would exceed 500,000 m³ per year, equivalent to the annual domestic consumption of over 8,000 people.
The strategic objective is clear: minimize freshwater extraction, improve operational efficiency, and ensure a measurable return to the Júcar basin, in full compliance with VWBA 2.0 principles of additionality, traceability, and intentionality. Tourism operators, technology providers, and external verifiers form a collaborative ecosystem that ensures both physical and digital validation of the benefit. In this way, each pool shifts from being a point of consumption to becoming an asset for water replenishment and climate resilience.
The current situation reveals a structural inefficiency: thousands of tourist pools in the Valencian Community operate with conventional water management systems, leading to losses through evaporation, leaks, excessive purges, and unnecessary refills. This not only increases pressure on potable water sources but also generates discharges containing chlorine and other compounds, which in some cases reach sewer networks or the natural environment without adequate treatment.
The technical opportunity lies in modernizing these systems with chlorine-free filtration and disinfection technologies, automated covers to reduce evaporation, and digital water cycle control to detect leaks and adjust purges in real time. This intervention reduces per-pool consumption from over 1,500 m³/year to less than 900 m³/year, delivering direct savings in operating costs and lowering environmental impact.
In the short term, the project delivers immediate results: water savings, reduced discharges, and improved user-perceived quality. In the medium term, it consolidates an operating model that strengthens tourism operators’ reputations and ESG alignment, providing a competitive edge in an increasingly regulated and sustainability-sensitive market. In the long term, it lays the foundation for a network of recreational facilities functioning as Water Positive infrastructure, actively contributing to the region’s water resilience.
To mitigate these challenges, the project adopts a comprehensive solution model that combines technical upgrades, digital monitoring, and behavioral change mechanisms. At the infrastructure level, mitigation is achieved through the distribution and installation of UV-resistant thermal pool covers, which reduce evaporation losses by insulating the water surface. The addition of ultrasonic level sensors and differential pressure-based leak detectors allows real-time identification and correction of leaks and abnormal refill patterns. Automatic shut-off valves and intelligent refill systems further prevent unnecessary water loss.
At the digital level, all devices are integrated into a centralized monitoring system, which aggregates data on water consumption, refill frequency, and environmental conditions. This cloud-based dashboard enables alerts, remote diagnostics, and performance tracking, reinforcing operational control and transparency. On the behavioral side, targeted awareness campaigns implemented through digital platforms (e.g., Airbnb, Booking) and community-level communications promote efficient water practices, enhance the perception of water scarcity, and nudge users toward long-term behavioral shifts.
The mitigation strategy also incorporates a replicable pilot model, allowing interventions to be scaled regionally. Training materials and operational protocols will be developed to facilitate knowledge transfer to municipalities and user communities. Combined, these solutions address both the technical inefficiencies and the sociocultural dimensions of water misuse, contributing to sustained water savings and resilience at the basin scale.
Implementation will be carried out in three progressive stages, each with specific objectives, activities, associated technologies, metrics, and control mechanisms:
Stage 1: Diagnosis and pilot area selection (months 0 to 3) This phase will include comprehensive mapping of coastal areas with a high density of private pools, using urban cadastral data, satellite imagery, and municipal records. Geographic Information Systems (GIS), high-resolution imagery (Copernicus Sentinel-2 or similar), and drones will be used to visually and spatially identify existing pools. Digital statistical analysis tools (QGIS, Excel with clustering macros) will help select a representative sample of at least 100 pools with diverse typologies, usage levels, and maintenance conditions. Partnerships with municipalities, water operators, and tourism associations will facilitate data access and field intervention.
Baseline evaporation will be measured using formulas derived from water balance (considering temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind) and local station climate sensors. Water consumption will be estimated from historical records, voluntary disclosures, and direct observation, with data coherence verified through sensor contrasts and variability analysis.
Stage 2: Efficiency intervention and monitoring (months 4 to 12) This stage will implement water efficiency and control measures, including the installation of ultrasonic level sensors, automated shut-off valves, leak detectors with differential pressure technology, and UV-resistant thermal covers. Kits will be distributed and installed in the 100 selected pools, with technical documentation recorded in digital (QR format) datasheets. An environmental awareness campaign will run concurrently, supported by physical signage, interactive digital content, nudge-type messages, and personalized communications through platforms like Airbnb and Booking.
All equipment will be connected to a cloud-based monitoring platform integrating IoT sensor data on flow, refill frequency, and level variations. The platform will include visual dashboards and automated alerts for field technicians. Operational control will include bimonthly technical inspections using tablets with geo-referenced digital forms, ensuring both system functionality and user engagement.
Stage 3: Results measurement and scalability (months 13 to 24) Water benefits will be assessed by comparing post-intervention data with the baseline from the first stage. Metrics will include volume avoided through evaporation reduction, leak detection and control, and net reduction in refill consumption. These figures will be validated using three complementary methods: (1) field sensor data; (2) remote sensing of water surface level via satellite or drone imagery; and (3) structured user behavior surveys. Consistency validation algorithms and multivariable analysis using R or Python will also be implemented to reinforce traceability.
Finally, a comprehensive technical report will be prepared with recommendations for regional and national replicability. The report will include: technical-economic analysis, adoption barrier assessment, scalability proposals, co-financing options, and alignment with public incentive programs. It will be shared with authorities such as the Generalitat Valenciana, river basin authorities, and regional water planning entities.
The project is developed in the coastal area of the Júcar River Basin, a region in the Spanish Mediterranean characterized by intense seasonal tourism and increasing vulnerability to climate change, as seen in declining water availability, aquifer overexploitation, and saltwater intrusion in coastal zones. In this context, private pools for tourism use—especially concentrated in towns like Dénia, Jávea, Gandía, and Cullera—constitute a significant driver of freshwater consumption, with major impact during summer when recreational demand coincides with periods of peak scarcity.
These pools, mostly lacking water efficiency systems, lose between 1.5 and 2.5 cm of water per day through evaporation, worsened by solar radiation, wind speed, and the absence of covers. Structural leaks caused by faulty valves, pipelines, or recirculation systems further contribute to losses and are rarely controlled. The lack of awareness about water as a limited resource, combined with the absence of mandatory efficiency regulations for private leisure facilities, creates a scenario of systematic waste with consequences at the basin scale.
To address this, the project proposes a comprehensive intervention based on three technical pillars: infrastructure efficiency, digital monitoring, and user behavior change. Technically, it involves the installation of certified UV-resistant thermal covers, ultrasonic level sensors paired with automatic shut-off valves, and differential pressure leak detection systems. Devices will be selected and sized according to each pool’s type and volume, allowing real-time monitoring of water behavior via an IoT platform connected to a centralized database with web visualization.
The socio-educational component of the project includes awareness campaigns designed under behavioral economics principles, incorporating contextual signage, automated messages on rental platforms like Airbnb, and audiovisual micro-content on responsible water use. These campaigns will be validated through baseline and follow-up surveys, allowing messaging to be tailored to users’ actual behavioral response.
The methodological approach used will be VWBA 2.0, applying Method A-2, which is designed to measure demand reduction in existing consumption scenarios. The baseline will be established using climate data, historical flow records, and evaporation modeling, while volumetric water benefits will be quantified as the sensor-verified differential, cross-checked with satellite observations and manual logs. Additionality is ensured, as the technologies and practices are not widespread and their installation depends directly on the project.
Finally, the intervention aligns with the basin’s water resilience goals, offering a replicable and scalable solution for other coastal regions facing similar pressures.
