Long periods of drought have hit the Spanish Costa del Sol hard, forcing authorities in the Swedish tourist paradise to take action. Now several pools and basins may be forced to remain empty.

The Spanish Costa del Sol is the part of the Andalusian coastline that stretches from Nerja in the east to Manilva in the west.

The Solkusten is immensely popular among Swedish tourists who want to take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea or just relax by the pool.

But several long-term periods of drought, which have affected Spain since 2022, have prompted authorities to take measures to save water. 

Strict rules have been introduced for watering gardens, washing cars and using fountains, among other things. This is something that Norwegians Daily Newspaper reported on. 

Now the authorities have chosen to go one step further.

”Forbidden”

Since March 15, tourists who rent a privately owned holiday apartment risk seeing their pools empty.

– Filling pools located in private condominiums is prohibited, Patricia Navarro, regional delegate of Malaga province, told the newspaper SUGAR. 

– The measures have been taken to protect health and safety, which is our top priority. 

However, public swimming facilities and pools used for health reasons will be exempt from the ban, according to Navarro.

The exception also applies to hotel pools and other apartment hotels that are rented exclusively to tourists. This is because they are considered to be of "public interest" and support the tourism sector, which is one of the largest sources of revenue for the region's economy, writes Dagbladet. 

Stricter measures apply in Catalonia, however, where authorities have also banned hotels and tourist accommodations from draining water from swimming pools. 

Source: Expressen.se