Did you know that a single Vichy shower can consume approximately 185 gallons, and a hammam treatment 160 gallons of water? This equates to about four to five full bathtubs; with multiple treatments a day, that can quickly escalate to the equivalent of draining and filling a medium-sized pool every month.

Water consumption (and waste) has reached alarming proportions worldwide, with the WHO recently predicting that half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. Knowing that fresh water is a precious and fast-diminishing resource, water reduction practices should be top of mind for each of us.

That being said, we know too that from the moment our guests enter our spa, water is typically central to their experience. After all, the word “spa” refers to the Latin phrase that means health through water. For centuries, people have drawn from the curing powers of natural hot springs, rivers, ponds and the ocean. Hydrotherapy treatments are proven to address issues of the body and mind by easing mobility problems, relaxing aching muscles and reducing stress, anxiety and insomnia.

The water applications at most spas are quite significant. Most spas provide pools, hot tubs and steam rooms, as well as Vichy and experience showers, water circuit therapy, Kneipp and Watsu pools, ice fountains and water-intensive treatments like body wraps and scrubs. Add to this rich water consumption portfolio guest showers—a must-have facility even when no aquatic therapies are offered—and finally, the spa’s laundry requirements.

So what to do if we want to practice spa in its proper context, but consider ourselves bound to water savings?

Innovative Solutions

Water conscious spas are increasingly opting for waterless treatments such as massages, waterless manicures and pedicures, and products such as no-rinse body wraps. They are rethinking their wet treatment regimens and are incorporating body treatment products that make it possible to offer traditionally wet room treatments in a dry environment, with specially formulated products that stay moist and can be removed with a damp cloth.

They innovate too. Preidlhof in northern Italy unveiled a magnificent deep sea chamber, where a thalassotherapy experience is administered without any water. Guests choose their preferred ocean depth, are sealed in an airtight chamber and are then engulfed in light, sound and vibration.

Powerhouses like L’oreal are also innovating, coming up with micronization technology (in partnership with a Swedish startup), whereby water droplets are split to enhance the water experience while reducing actual consumption.

And, communal bathing facilities are on the rise! Bathing as a collective act has its roots in many diverse classic cultures and facilitated self-expression, relaxation, religious practices and even political debate. Offering group hydrotherapy naturally reduces water consumption.

Water-Saving Practices

Ultimately, water efficiency strategies ought to put spas well ahead in their water conservation programs, even without having to innovate or change any therapies. In fact, these strategies apply not only in our spas and beauty salons, but also at home.

The first step must always be to put management and measurement practices in place. Appoint a water monitor to take charge of your water consumption, understand your water needs, install sub-metering and measure your consumption regularly.

Spas can also take the following steps:

1. Inspect all your spa’s water and pool equipment, as well as plumbing and fixtures to make sure they work efficiently and that there are no leaks.
2. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators wherever possible. Older systems reduced water flow so significantly that spa guests were unhappy using them, but more recent models have been met with great user satisfaction and can reduce consumption by up to two gallons per minute.
3. Purchase water-efficient appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers, and run them only when they are fully loaded. Manage the use of robes and towels by offering these on a demand only basis. This will significantly cut down on laundry and, consequently, water consumption.
4. Replace older toilets, which can use up to four gallons per flush, with more modern dual flush ones, which use around one gallon per flush. Otherwise, install a conversion kit to do the same job.
5. Expand your water base. Capture rainwater and, if permitted by your local authority, re-use water recovered from showers, washing machines and cooling towers. This type of water is generally termed “gray water” and, after minimal treatment, can very effectively be used for irrigation and toilet-flushing. Collect storm water in tanks to use on lawns and gardens.
6. Be mindful in the selection of plants in landscape design, and remember that indigenous and hardy plants fare significantly better in terms of overall water consumption than their foreign counterparts.
7. Use pool covers to reduce evaporation.

While on the topic of pools, these should, if at all possible, be free of chlorine and other harsh chemicals. These can be harmful to the environment when drained into water courses and out into dams, rivers and the ocean.

Salt and ozone technology provide solutions for sterilizing pool water, and many specialist pool contractors are qualified to provide chemical-free water treatment solutions. An existing conventional pool can also be converted into a natural swimming pool (totally absent of chemicals) with the add-on of a biological filtration system.

Charne le Roux, founder of Greenspa.Africa, opened the first dedicated organic spa in South Africa and is an accredited professional of the Green Building Council of South Africa. Through her leadership and guidance, Greenspa.Africa connects sustainable spas in Africa and helps them implement green business practices. A regular speaker at conferences and trainings, le Roux is also the author of Green Spa Guide and the creator of the Sustainable Spa Practitioner Course.